


Out of the Basement

by HidingLight (FanFicDotNetTransfers)



Series: Tibbs [1]
Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-23
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:28:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 389,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24729721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanFicDotNetTransfers/pseuds/HidingLight
Summary: Gibbs helps Tony get out of a funk on St. Patrick's Day. Slash of the Tibbs variety.
Relationships: Anthony DiNozzo/Jethro Gibbs, OC/OC, Timothy McGee/Abby Sciuto, Ziva David/Original Character(s)
Series: Tibbs [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1788091
Comments: 5
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Original story at https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7949752/1/Out-of-the-Basement

Tony was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. He thought he was alone, as it was late and most people had left the office already. The sun was already down and he looked at his computer screen, re-reading the report he had already typed up and put on Gibbs' desk.

The report was depressing. He had re-read it so many times that he had most of it memorized. There was no particular reason either. The case was just a typical case. Nothing special, nothing to have him emotionally involved more than usual. It was just a distraction. He knew it. He was avoiding thinking about where he'd rather be.

He opened his personal email account again. He read through the list of messages, deleting spam as he came across it, ignoring other emails and eventually, opened one he had read as many times as the report. It was from his frat buddy Matt. They all usually got together for a wild night of drinking on St. Patty's day. Matt, Blake, Brian, Steven, Paul and himself. It was almost like a reunion. They usually all merged in DC since both he and Paul lived here. Matt would come down from New York, Blake from upper Maryland and Brian and Steven usually flew in from Ohio and Chicago for the occasion then stayed a few days to catch up. This year though, they all made plans to head to Chicago. Only somehow, they had forgotten to tell him that's what they were doing.

Ever since he bailed on the cruise the spring before, he had been left out of more and more of their lives. He wasn't even going to attempt to go spring breaking with them this year. It had been a wake up call two nights ago when he saw the email from Matt asking if he was going to Chicago with them. Matt was the one he usually kept in contact with the least. He couldn't believe Paul hadn't said something to him. What really hurt though was that Steven hadn't let him know. Steven was his best friend for years. He hadn't heard from him since Christmas and at the time, he had said that he couldn't wait to catch up at their St. Patrick's day drink-fest. Now... he had a horrible feeling he was never going to see them again.

What was worse was that he knew deep down inside that he had changed and grown beyond them all years ago when he wasn't looking. He felt like a fool, wishing to be hanging out with friends tonight that he couldn't relate to, drinking like he was half his age. They had been his friends when his life was much simpler, back before he had to live life a little more seriously, with other people's safety depending on him.

He had been a cop and an agent for 17 years. There was a responsibility that came with that kind of experience and he felt it weighing on him. Sure, he could use a night of drunken debauchery, but he knew that he needed to unwind with people who understood _why_ he needed it. He didn't want to spend it with people whose biggest problems were termites eating their new deck, and whether or not they were going to be able to get the time off of their 9-5 to go beer-bonging in Miami this April.

Closing the email, he started re-reading the report. This was his life now. He re-read that report another ten times, letting it sink in why he did what he did and why he should be okay with the changes it had made to his life. His hands worked at his temples as he read. He really had changed. He finally stopped reading his report and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and tossing his head back to think.

Tony knew he had let his life become absorbed by the job. Gibbs had told him at Christmas not to let the basement consume him. He had basically said to keep looking for someone to love and to have a life worth living. Thing was, he had those things, just not in a conventional way.

He tried to remember when he had fallen in love with Gibbs. He had been attracted to him from the beginning, but had given up on dating men when he was in the police academy. It was dangerous in their line of work. Love though... somewhere along the way, he had fallen for Gibbs. They bonded over the work they did, work that gave his life more meaning than anything else ever had and probably ever would. He was more than the spoiled, frat-boy jock here. This was who he wanted to be. He took a deep breath and let it out knowing that it was time to leave his past behind him.

Tony looked at his phone. Abby had gotten the rest of the team to agree to go out to Maloney's with her tonight. She didn't even bother to ask him this year, knowing what his annual plans entailed. He thought of calling her to let her know he was on the way, but then wondered if maybe he would rather go sit in Gibbs' basement with him. He heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs behind him and turned to see who was still there.

Gibbs had been standing against the railing outside of MTAC for twenty minutes, drinking his coffee and watching Tony, trying to figure out what he was doing. He looked devastated and exhausted. He watched the younger man pour over his report and it confused him. He had already seen Tony's report on his desk before he headed up to the com room. Was he having second doubts about the case?

After squinting hard for a moment, Gibbs recognized the email site he always found his SFA going through when he was supposed to be working. Tony's body slumped forward as he stared at one window for a long time without touching keyboard or mouse. Gibbs realized something about that email must have him feeling down. He looked at his wrist and saw that it was going on 2100. That's when he saw the date on his watch and his confusion deepened. Whatever was said in that email had him upset enough that he was skipping his yearly outing with "the guys".

Gibbs moved to go down the steps to talk to him when he froze. Tony had closed the window. He watched the younger agent re-read the case file yet again and witnessed the change in his body language. He returned to the railing, unable to look away. He knew he should let Tony know he was there. He should say something, cough, make some noise, hum to himself and most of all he knew that he should not be staring at his Senior Field Agent and Second in Command with such intimate curiosity.

He had stood in the same place many times and watched Tony as he worked on a case with intense drive. It was fascinating to him. He was so focused sometimes that it scared him. He recognized something in him at those moments that he connected with in a way he had never been able to connect with anyone else. It was the same connection that allowed them to read each other with just a glance, having entire conversations with a look and sometimes a grunt or nod. It was the only time he really felt connected with anybody these days, so he took it when he could get it.

He watched Tony lean back in his chair and saw the resignation on his face. It didn't hurt that the man was incredibly sexy. Sure, he was a skirt-chasing jock, but that didn't mean he couldn't look. Anyway, Gibbs had sworn off men after the Corps. Rule 12 had his back too, constantly keeping him from allowing his connection to Tony and his attraction to Tony from merging into what would be a volitile concoction of relationship. The look Tony had on his face tugged at his heart so hard though that it made him uncomfortable.

As soon as Tony sat back up in his chair, Gibbs decided that he needed to stop staring and get to the bottom of this.

Heading down the stairs, Tony turned towards the over obvious shuffle he was making. "Oh! Hey, Boss. Didn't realize you were still here." he said, false cheerfulness plastered across his face.

"Didn't expect you to be here either DiNozzo. Don't you have somewhere to be tonight?"

Tony cringed, and Gibbs, now behind his desk, stopped what he was doing when he saw.

"Uh, no Boss. Seems this year's St. Patty's day debauchery was taken on the road. Without me." he didn't know why he was telling Gibbs outright. This was the bullpen, not the basement. This kind of discussion didn't happen at work between him and his boss. It happened over bourbon or steaks with him and his friend. He stared off into space in the direction of his Mighty Mouse stapler.

Gibbs felt that knot in his stomach tighten. He could tell Tony was feeling abandoned by his friends. It was the same look on his face whenever discussion of fathers came up. It was one of those rare things that he had to steel himself against when it came to Tony. He wanted to fix things for him so that he didn't feel that sense of abandonment. Tony was one of the most loyal people he had ever met, and was unabashedly, fiercely loyal to him specifically. Gibba had always felt he owed him whatever healing he could offer in exchange. This time was no different.

"Why didn't you go with them, DiNozzo? You have almost as much vacation time as I do." Gibbs asked quietly, moving to stand next to McGee's desk to be closer to the man.

"Funny that... they forgot to invite me." His eyes looked up to meet Gibbs. Gibbs felt his own expression fall and tried to keep the pity out of it. He knew that wouldn't help. He leaned back against McGee's desk, sitting on the edge.

"Well then why aren't you out with the team, Tony? You know they would love to have you there." he asked gently but not too gently.

"I was debating it. I just... I don't know if that's what I feel like doing." Gibbs saw the familiar look on Tony's face. It was one he felt quite often on his own. The, "I don't wanna be social, I just wanna wallow in my own concerns" look. He had been making it his mission to not let Tony succumb to just that for months now. He had even tried to get him back with his ex last month, despite his own feelings that he had to ignore the entire time. He didn't have a right to be jealous anyway, he told himself.

"You should go. Just for a drink at least. I know Abby would love it if you showed up. Where are they tonight, anyway?" He prodded.

"Maloney's. I don't want to bring them down, Gibbs. Maybe I should just go home." Tony said, self-loathing not hidden at all.

Gibbs knew he was going to lose the internal battle he was having with himself so he just gave in. "Come on. I'll go with you. If one drink with our team won't kill me, it won't kill you." He tried to smile encouragingly.

Tony looked up at the smile and felt his own creep over his face. He loved when Gibbs smiled. It happened so rarely these days. It took him back to their first real discussion back in Baltimore. He wore a smug smile almost the entire conversation. He was always attractive, but when he smiled, it did something to Tony he couldn't explain. Smiles from Gibbs were special.

"Fine." he said. "But you're buying." He clicked the power down button on his computer and moved to grab his bag. Gibbs smiled even broader and pushed off the desk to turn his lamp off. He tossed his empty coffee cup in the trash and the men walked together to the elevator. It felt weird. Tony usually walked behind him as they headed for the lift, but this time he walked next to him. They were leaving as friends, not boss and agent. Gibbs was hyperaware of this as they got in together. He pushed the button and the doors closed.

"Do you know who decided to go?" he asked Tony, making smalltalk in the silent elevator.

"As far as I know, everyone. I think even Palmer and Breena were going to show. Abby came up tonight to make sure Tim and Ziva were going. Ziva may bring that new guy she went out with last week. She seems to really like him." Gibbs looked at Tony with a little surprise. He wasn't aware that Ziva had been dating again. He was happy for her. He still wanted to beat CIRay down.

They headed towards into the garage. "Maloney's is close enough. Why don't you ride with me? If you want to bail after a drink, you can use it as an excuse to leave when I do." Gibbs offered, reading Tony as well as they both knew they could read each other.

"Ahh, smart thinking Boss." Tony exclaimed, beaming as Gibbs' ingenuity. "I think I will. Besides, if I decide to stay for more than one drink, it will probably be more like ten drinks, and I won't be driving home anyway. Much safer to leave my car here than outside of a bar on St. Patrick's day."

Gibbs nodded as they both got in his Charger. He turned the key over and waited for Tony's belt to click before tearing out of the garage. Once Gibbs finally found a place to park, they walked the three blocks to the bar. The entire street was packed with cars and people trying to get into bars. Maloney's was known to be a "cop's bar". Most of the normal crazy crowd stayed away but it was still packed.

Tony spotted McGee backing away from the bar with two pitchers in his hands. "Hey McTim!" he shouted over the crowd. Tim looked over at the two men with surprise then a smile.

"Hey Tony! Gibbs! What are you guys doing here?" He shouted and motioned for them to follow him. They did as were nodded and as they moved towards the back corner of the bar where two tables were moved together to form one long table, they saw the rest of their crew. Palmer was there with Breena. Ziva was there with a really handsome man with dark, Grecian features, laughing and leaning into one another.

Abby was there in a green collar and green tassled pigtails. She saw the two of them immediately and jumped up in her green striped knee socks and platforms and threw her arms around them in a triad hug with a squeal. "Yayyy! I can't believe you guys came! This is so cool!" She turned to McGee as he sat pitchers on the table. "Tim you're awesome! You bring me beer and men!" she was obviously drunk and Tim was obviously sober by his blush.

Gibbs looked at him with discernment. It would take a few minutes for him to be convinced Tim's sobriety was to keep Abby safe, but he was fairly certain that was the only reason a pasty Irish boy like Tim, would be sober on St. Patty's day. He had a little bud of respect in him for things just like this. He knew McGee cared a lot about Abby, maybe even loved her. He also knew how Abby only partially reciprocated his feelings. It took a big man to still care for her like he did.

Gibbs took freshly poured beer from him as he sat down with Tony sitting next to him, Abby chatting his head off. He could tell Tony wasn't quite in the headspace to be here. He handed him his beer and reached to pour himself a new one. Tony took it with a smile of gratitude and before Gibbs could fill himself a new cup had downed half of it. He smirked at the half empty cup and topped it off.

Tim was talking to Ziva and her new guy which Gibbs soon figured out was named Dion. He was a chef and taught cooking. Gibbs approved of her looking outside of law enforcement for love. It was something she deserved, a little bit of normal. He was attentive to her but not too doting. Strong and supportive as she talked with Tim. He probably would never be good friends with the guy, but for now, he was happy for Ziva.

He looked back at Tony who had begun talking to Palmer and Breena about their wedding. Gibbs was happy for them but was not looking forward to the wedding. He hated weddings. He had been through too many of them. Tony was half finished with his beer again and he seemed to be relaxing a little. Gibbs was glad to see that he was warming up to the situation, fitting into the conversation naturally now.

Abby started talking to him behind Tony's back as Tony leaned forward to hear Palmer better as he told him about what they had planned for the honeymoon. "I'm really glad you guys came! Didn't expect to see either of you tonight!" He was glad she was too far gone already to ask why they made the trip. He smiled at her and felt immensely grateful suddenly for Tim's sobriety, which he was finally convinced was innocent. Abby turned back to the honeymoon discussion all of the sudden at the mention that they were going to be stopping in New Orleans on the way to Mexico. He turned to Tim.

"You're taking her home tonight, right?" he said under his breath into the young agent's ear.

"Oh yeah. Definitely." Gibbs looked at him for a moment with a questioning glare. "Well, her home. I'll be dropping her off at her apartment, Boss." Gibbs smiled. Tim would probably always be nervous around him to some extent. He was much better though. He picked up the pitcher and topped off both he and Tony's plastic cups. He drank his slowly and watched as Tony drank his quickly.

The conversations flowed around the table and he was drawn into each discussion, a bit at a time. Tony had begun talking across the table to Ziva and Dion and he had to move closer in order to hear. Closer meant he was leaning forward in Gibbs direction and he felt the heat of his SFA against him like a blanket. He held his breath for a moment while he mentally reprimanded and convinced himself that the warmth was the beer hitting him after not eating since breakfast. He sat back so Tony could lean forward and hear Dion's half of the conversation. He tried really hard to not enjoy having Tony so close but he was losing the fight. Suddenly Tony laughed at something Ziva had Tim were joking about and he sat up, flashing a happy smile at Gibbs, catching him off guard.

Gibbs went into evasive maneuvers and got to his feet with a smile. "Next pitcher is on me. What are we drinking?" he asked.

"Oh Gibbs! Will you bring us all back a round of tequila on my tab?" Abby asked loudly. Everyone started laughing and making comments about the shot and whether or not they would take it. Tony's voice was heard over everyone's murmurs though. "Come on now people, one shot isn't going to kill us! Count me in! I'll even come help carry them. Let's go Gibbs." He got to his feet and headed towards the bar. Gibbs followed him, eyes rolling, defeated. So much for a moment away from Tony. He didn't have a prayer at getting his thoughts together with the man sticking so close to him.

They approached the bar and a few minutes later they were approached by a blonde with enhanced assets. "What can I get for you gentlemen?" she asked over the noise.

Tony stepped up. "We need eight shots of tequila for our table, two pitchers of green beer and a double bourbon." he shouted. Gibbs looked at Tony, surprised by the addition to the order. He saw him hand the lady his card and tell her to hold onto it. He leaned towards Tony so he could hear him. "I thought I was supposed to be the one buying." he joked. Tony leaned against the railing next to the bar while their drinks were gathered. He smiled back at Gibbs. "You're getting the next round." he said.

"I don't know if I'll be around for the next round" he said, caught off guard by the relaxed smile Tony gave him. He looked very enticing all of the sudden. He could feel his face warming again and looked towards the bar where the blonde was lining up his shots and an assortment of lemon and lime wedges and salt shakers on a tray. The bourbon found its way next to them and she handed the tray over to them. Two pitchers of green beer were sat on the bar by a man in his mid twenties and the two men carried the drinks back to the table.

Tim had moved to take Abby's seat and Abby had taken Tony's. Gibbs recognized that Tim was now on the end and Abby was where she could be safely flanked by two of them. Tony sat in Gibbs old seat and he sat in Tim's. The drinks were passed around the table and everyone took their favorite accompaniments and then the call was made by Abby.

"Alright everyone. One! Two! Three!" They all downed their shot back, even Gibbs and Tim. Gibbs just took his straight. Tim took his with a wedge of lemon. Others around the table had salted first and were just now sucking on their citrus. There were shakes and shivers from half of them at the bitter assault.

Gibbs smiled at his team. They were so close. He realized that he himself had really needed some time with them like this. He started pouring green beer and passing it around the table. They were telling old stories that he had forgotten about to Dion and Breena. Some were so old that even Ziva and Palmer hadn't heard. He joined in where he felt appropriate and drank his bourbon. He was starting to feel the liquor by then. He was wondering if he was going to have to take a cab home himself for the first time in years and smiled.

Tony was plastered by that point. He watched his SFA tell Ziva's boyfriend and Breena his side of the story of when he was undercover with Tim and ended up making out with the transsexual Commander Voss. Gibbs always got a kick out of the story. Tony was normally really defensive about it. Tonight though, Dion asked if "she" was a good kisser and Tony stopped for a moment and then answered, "Actually, yeah!" and then everyone, including Tony laughed so hard that they cried and Palmer had beer coming out of his nose.

Tony put his head on the table, laughing so hard that he was barely able to breathe. Gibbs wiped his own eyes and pounded Tony's back with a flat hand to help him breathe. He couldn't stop laughing himself though so his hand stayed on Tony's back for a while and as the man sat up to take in a gasping inhale, it became trapped between Tony's back and the chair.

Gibbs didn't realize it was even still there at first because of how he was turned towards the younger man. Once he did recognize it, it sent warmth through his body in every direction. He couldn't just yank it away. He knew that would imply a discomfort that he couldn't risk showing. He took his other hand and reached for the pitcher at the end of the table. He couldn't quite reach though and had to reach across Tony to get it. The man was practically pressed against his chest for a moment while he procure-d it, a hint of laughter still on his face.

The closeness suddenly hit Tony like a brick wall on fire. He felt his heart stop beating while Gibbs' body was against his. The heat was suffocating for a moment and he would have gladly died in it. He finally took a deep breath and could smell the tantalizing scent of coffee and sawdust on the man. He had to fight to keep his eyes open and his face from showing the feelings he had taking him over.

He looked down at Gibbs for a moment and then over at Abby who was twice as drunk as he was and he knew he was gone. She was hanging on Tim. He wasn't pushing her away but was keeping his hold on her as platonic as possible. He felt for the man in that moment. He knew that Tim loved Abby and knew that it was unrequited despite their friendship. He suddenly knew exactly what that was like.

Gibbs backed away with the pitcher and gently pried his hand out from behind Tony. Their closeness had him burning from head to toe and he hoped the cold beer would keep him from feeling it somewhat. He took a deep drink and realized the beer had actually gone warm. "I think it's time for a refresh." he said with a crinkle of his nose. Tony watched his expression as he took another drink of the warm ale and laughed at him. "Boss, don't drink that! Go get another pitcher!" Gibbs couldn't resist the smile. He chuckled a little and got to his feet.

"Anyone need anything else while I'm going up there?" Tim looked up at him.

"Um, can we get a couple of waters and maybe some pretzels?" he asked giving a sideways glance at Abby and then back to Gibbs. Gibbs nodded. Tony watched in fascination at how Gibbs was being Mr. Social. It was so unlike him and yet perfect. He caught himself as the older man began walking towards the bar and turned back to the group at the table.

"I can't believe he's being so..." he said to Ziva's questioning glance.

"Social?" she asked.

"Yeah. I mean, it's so un-Gibbs." he said, then finished the last bit of green beer.

Abby had heard their exchange. "I don't know how you got him to come with you Tony, but I'm really glad you d-d-d-did!" She said, swaying and falling back on Tim who put his arm around her waist. Tony thought about that for a moment. Actually, it was Gibbs that got _him_ to go.

 _How did that happen?_ He wondered. He sat lost in his own thoughts for a couple of minutes while the conversations around the table turned more personal. Tim and Abby talked, Breena and Palmer talked, Ziva and Dion were whispering back and forth and laughing happily. Tony sat there with a pleasantly surprised look on his face, thinking about how Gibbs had saved him from his own self-pity tonight. They could have just as easily been sitting in his basement drinking, but Gibbs got him out to the bar and was being social with him.

He felt the weight of a stare on him. Being familiar with the feeling in a bar, he started looking around to find the gazer and saw that Gibbs was approaching the table. It broke his concentration as the man sat the pitcher in front of Tony and then a pitcher of water and bag of chips in front of Tim and Abby. Tim gave him a grateful smile and Gibbs nodded back. He immediately began urging Abby to drink the water and eat the chips. She was beginning to look _too_ drunk and Tony saw the tender way he handled her. He was distracted though as Gibbs poured him another beer and then himself one.

He raised his glass to the older man, lost for a moment in his blue eyes. Gibbs raised his glass back. "What are we drinking to?" he asked.

Tony thought for a small moment but didn't break eye contact. "To our awesome, make-shift family." he said. Gibbs nodded and drank. The other conversations continued around them. "I'm glad you talked me into this, Gibbs." he said quietly, a bright smile not only on his lips but in his eyes. "I don't relate like this anymore with my college friends. We don't... have anything really in common other than our pasts." Gibbs nodded and looked back at Tony as he opened up. He forgot where they were and who they were with. He felt his focus honing in specifically on Tony.

"It's good to have friends that share your past. It's important. The friends you have now though are even more important. They understand you, can commiserate with you, can encourage you to make the right decisions when you can't see the right choices to make, and can be there for you in ways that your old friends can't. You, especially, have a big gap between your old life and your current life. I can't imagine it's easy for them to relate to you either." he tried to rein in his wandering mind and even more his wandering mouth.

He couldn't stop thinking about how brightly Tony's eyes were shining. They were so light right then that they looked shamrock green. Tony was just as focused back on him as he was on Tony and he knew they were connecting in a whole new way. He swallowed hard. He realized suddenly that he had drunk way too much if he didn't see this coming. He hadn't had any warning to put the wall up he normally did.

Now that it was down he had a split second decision to make. Should he keep himself open and let Tony in, and in turn see if Tony let him in further? Should he go all in? Or should he try to close himself down and sever the connection he and Tony were suddenly forming, which could potentially damage whatever connection they had before tonight? He took a deep breath and reached for his beer. He thought for that second and decided.

 _Fuck it. All in._ He drank down his entire beer and reached to refill it. Tony watched the moment happen. He knew the struggle on the man's face. He was feeling something very similar within himself and he saw the decision play out too. He opened his mouth to say something and was interrupted by Tim.

"Hey guys. I'm gonna get Abby home. She's tapped. It was good to have you out with us. Should do it again soon." He gave Gibbs a pointed look. Gibbs and Tony nodded and said their goodbyes and thank yous. Gibbs told him to take care of Abby, and it was obvious the girl needed it because she didn't even tell anyone goodbye.

Gibbs turned back to Tony. "So when was the last time you actually hung out with them anyway?"

"Which them? The frat crew or our team?" Gibbs noticed that it was the second time tonight he had referred to their friends as _our_ team. He smiled at that. He liked sharing custody.

"Your frat boys." he said, emphasizing _boys._

Tony picked up on the reference and enjoyed the disdain he heard there. He took another drink. "Well, I saw Steven two days after Christmas and then Paul in early January." Gibbs nodded, encouraging him to continue. "Steven, if you remember, lives out in Ohio. Ended up in Cincinnati after school working for P&G. Total suburbian. He's engaged now. Her family lives in Manassas so he and I caught up when they were out there for the holidays with her family." Gibbs vaguely remembered hearing about the visit from across the room while Tony gave Ziva the recap of his weekend.

Palmer and Breena got up to leave and stopped over to remind Gibbs and Tony to RSVP to the wedding. They both said their pleasant goodbyes and watched them walk away from the table. Tony stole a look at Ziva and Dion who were totally lost in each other. He was glad to see Ziva so happy. Gibbs looked over at Ziva as she took an adventure into Dion's mouth, beginning to kiss and then turned back to Tony, blushing just a little.

"So doesn't Paul live close?" Tony nodded, a sad smile starting to form on his face. That wasn't Gibbs' intention by talking about this. He wanted Tony to open up and let it out, not make him sadder.

"Paul lives close but he's a congressional aide now. So he's busy all the time, and when he does get time away, he uses it to party like he's twenty-two. I mean, I know how to have a good time still, but I don't want to show up to a party and have to worry about there being anyone underage there, you know?" Gibbs' eyes widened a little and laughed.

"Has that seriously happened?" he took another drink of his beer and Tony turned bright red.

"ONLY ONCE!" They both laughed hard. "Paul invited me to go with him to this party he had heard about from some of the interns he was working with. We got there and the party was being thrown by this guy whose little brother was still in high school. Well, of course, all of his high school aged buddies crashed the party. I was like, whoa, Paul, we need to leave. And Paul was like, No way man! It's cool! It's okay! and so I went to follow him and pull him out of the house, and we saw one of his co-workers hitting on this girl who I swear wasn't even 16. That was it."

Gibbs was enthralled in the tale. He poured them each another beer, emptying the pitcher. "What did you do?"

"Oh man. I felt so weird doing it, but I of course grabbed the douche by the collar and pulled him away from the girl then cleared the place. I left most of it to the LEOs though, including Mr. Creepy. I was just happy to get the hell out of there." Gibbs was dying of laughter. "Geez, Gibbs, are you okay?" Tony asked, falling forward in his own laughter, his hand finding itself on the older man's arm.

"I can just imagine you, standing there in the middle of the room, dressed in your party clothes, holding some creep in one hand and your badge in another as all of these kids look at you like, What the hell?" Gibbs managed to get it out between laughs and gasps. Tony was laughing so hard his head fell back to the table. They calmed down finally and returned to their beers, smiles on their face so big their cheeks hurt. That's when Tony realized they had been left alone.

"Where did Miss David and her Greek god chef go?" Tony asked.

Gibbs looked around in happy confusion to realize that they were alone at the table. Ziva and Dion's coats were missing. They were actually gone. He was surprised. It was only 0100. The bar was still busy as all else with drunken "leprechauns" coming and going.

"I guess we can say we drunk the rest of the team under the table tonight." Gibbs joked, his eyes shining as he finished what was left of his beer while staring into Tony's bright green eyes. Tony smirked back and nodded. "Now the only question is, which one of us will last the longest?" Gibbs asked with playful innocence.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs! Did you just challenge me?" Gibbs smiled but didn't break eye contact. "You know, you may be the expert at work, but drinking? That's my area of expertise. You're going down. Let's go." Tony grabbed his coat and moved to the bar where he ordered a long island, another double bourbon and another pitcher.

Gibbs stood behind him while he ordered. Some people moved to get past them and he took a step in closer to Tony. He felt exactly how close he was to the younger man and when the people passed, he couldn't bring himself to move away.

The bartender handed them their drinks. Gibbs reached over Tony's shoulder and took the bourbon and the pitcher. Tony grabbed the long island and the two mugs. He stepped back and into Gibbs. He knew he was going to. He had felt him step closer to him a moment ago and as he had reached to take the drinks he could feel that fire returning to run through him. Gibbs stepped back after a moment of contact that neither man officially acknowledged but didn't move right away to break.

They took the drinks to a smaller table back in the corner closer to the bar so they could refill if they made it that far. Both men knew that they were just using their drinking competition as an excuse to drink some more and hang out by this point. Neither said anything about it yet though. They poured their beers and sipped their other drinks and Gibbs continued prompting stories from Tony.

"So what did your friends think about your decision to go into law enforcement?" he asked as he sipped his bourbon.

Tony thought for a moment. "They were pretty cool about it actually. I mean, they didn't quite understand it. The money isn't exactly what they all make with their various business and political aspirations and seeing as half of us grew up with money, and the other half grew up with absolutely none and dreams of turning that around drastically, they were confused. They were supportive though. They never talked negatively about it. In fact Steven figured I would probably do it once Dr. Pitt blew my knee out. He knew that I wanted to help people more than I wanted to help myself, so... here I am."

Gibbs raised his glass. "Here's to being here." he said simply and Tony's glass clinked with his as they both took deep swallows of their liquor.

Tony smiled at Gibbs. Actually _at_ him. "Thanks for that, by the way."

Gibbs looked at him a little lost. "For what?"

"For getting me out of my funk tonight." he replied, a knowing look on his features.

Gibbs just nodded with a slight flush and took a drink. "We both needed a night out of the basement." he said, feeling the knot in his stomach suddenly untie itself and fray into a million pieces. The look he was getting from Tony was completely open. There was no doubt that something was going on with his SFA that resembled what was going on within himself. The attraction, the connection, was just too strong to deny. He wasn't sure if he should or could act on it, but he figured they still had plenty left to drink on that table before they had to answer that question.

The silence was getting to be too much. Both men could do nothing but stare at each other and the drinks in their hands. "So what's going on with Abby and Tim?" Gibbs asked, trying to get the focus off of them.

Tony was thrown completely but dove into the gossip without pause. "Well, you know when Tim started with the team, he and Abby hooked up, right?" Gibbs looked at him with surprise. He knew Tim had wanted to, but didn't know they did.

"Seriously? So I have to kill McGee?" Gibbs asked.

Tony laughed. "Uh nooo... if you kill anyone it should be Abby." Gibbs glared at Tony as if though he had just spoken NCIS Sacrilige. "Honestly. She kinda played him. I mean, she likes him and all, but he _loves_ her, and she wasn't really as honest as she should have been with him. I can tell you this though, she's been a lot more honest with everyone since because of it. She really cares about Tim, and there's... _something_ there. But she's not a one guy type of girl. Hell, she's not a one _woman_ type of girl. So poor Tim is left being the unrequited best friend. He's tried dating other women, but ya know, once one of them ends up being a Russian spy that's trying to kill you, you just kinda give up. It's safer to pine."

Gibbs laughed at that. Tony loved watching the man laugh. It happened so rarely. It gave him tingles as the laughter bounced through him. It was a private laugh, meant just for the two of them. Tony decided it was his turn to ask a question. "So why _did_ you decide to get out of the basement tonight?" Gibbs had been asking him questions all night to encourage him to be happy in the moment he had now and not cling to his past. It was his turn to ask a question about _his_ journey into the present.

Gibbs was kind of taken aback by it. "Well..." he looked into Tony's face and knew that the man had been honest with him all night and he deserved and honest answer. "You."

Tony's chin dropped and eyebrows raised in question. "Me?" his heart fluttered in his chest and his stomach flipped in a way that was intense but pleasant.

"Yeah. You. You just looked so... left out? I couldn't leave you like that." Gibbs tried to keep his voice and expression light but it wasn't easy. It had angered him what Tony's friends had done to him. They had abandoned him like everyone else in Tony's past had.

Tony was touched. His head tilted a little as he examined the man across from him for the truth and found it there. He really did care about him. "You know? I'm really glad they ditched me." He poured himself another beer and topped Gibbs' off.

Gibbs stared at the beer and then picked it up. "Me too." He took a big drink as Tony did the same. "Especially because it gave you a chance to tell Ziva and them the Commander Voss story!" They both burst out laughing again. Once they started breathing on their own once more, Tony shook his head. He knew he had had way too much to drink by now, but he wasn't going to stop so that he could keep spending time with Gibbs.

"You should have seen Tim's expression the moment he heard that Voss was a guy. It was something. He wanted to interrupt you so bad and then you started kissing him and it was like he froze. You should see the security footage. I bet Abby still has it. I caught her watching it. That girl has some issues." Gibbs' eyes got some far away look as he said that last part and shook his head, the smile never leaving his face.

"She was watching the footage of me kissing Voss? Wow. Yeah, I could see her doing that." Tony said with a shrug.

Gibbs chuckled and smirked. "Yeah. You looked like you were having a pretty good time of it for a minute there!"

Tony turned pink and then picked up his beer with that embarrassed smile that turned Gibbs into mush. "Like I said, I was! He was a pretty damn good kisser!" The glass found its way to his mouth again.

Gibbs laughed. "Well, it's not like you have much experience to compare it to!"

"Uh, do you know me? Tony DiNozzo? Date three nights a week? Hello!" Tony joked.

"Well, yeah, but its different with a guy!" Gibbs shot back with a scoff of a laugh and then realized what his words revealed. Tony realized it too and decided to test it.

"How would you know?" he laughed to cover his nervousness and took a long drink of his long island as he stared Gibbs down.

"Well, I guess I don't really." Gibbs replied with an intrigued smirk. _Was Tony really playing along?_ He asked himself in disbelief. He felt his entire body waking up to the game. He leaned his elbows on the table so he was a little closer to Tony and drank his beer with two hands. He hadn't gone after a guy in decades now. Going after the delicious man before him was playing with fire. He could fall in love easily if he wasn't already on the way there and have his heart broken even easier. He waited for Tony to take it the next step.

"Well, are you going to ask? You know you wanna." Tony said quietly, mischief clouding his eyes and Gibbs' judgment as he leaned forward a little on the table himself, one hand raising his long island to his lips while he drank deeply.

God he was good, Gibbs thought. He already knew the answer based on his body language and flirtations. They were going to be a dangerous combination, but a combination for sure. "You mean, ask you if you've ever kissed a man before? I think I have figured that answer out on my own." he said, acknowledging their flirting in a sideways manner.

"Gibbs! Are you... assuming?" Tony bantered with him about the rules. "That's not like you." he said with a smirk.

"And you know me enough to know this?" Gibbs flirted back.

"Oh, I'm learning." Tony replied.

Gibbs felt his entire body tingle at the prospect of Tony learning him inside out. They both drank deeply as last call was announced. "I can't believe we're closing down a bar together." Tony joked as Gibbs finished off his bourbon.

"Yeah. Never would have suspected this would happen." Gibbs said making sure with eye contact that Tony knew he meant more than just their night out.

"Guess we should get out of here before the mass exodus." Tony suggested.

"Yeah. Especially because I'm way too drunk to walk the three blocks to my car. Even then, I couldn't drive it. It's going to be a bitch getting a cab this time of night." Gibbs began.

"God. I didn't think about that." They both moved to stand up and Tony swayed. Gibbs laughed as he reached out towards him but Tony caught himself on the table. "I need to get the tab settled." he said and moved towards the bar, laughing a drunken laugh as he stumbled again.

Gibbs watched him go and let his eyes take in his body. He had always admired Tony's physique, but tonight, he couldn't keep himself from reacting to it. He turned away to try to get himself under control. The problem was that he didn't really _want_ to get it under control. He saw Tony's coat lying over the back of his chair. He picked it up and used it to hide his erection as it was draped over his arm and headed towards the bar. Tony was stepping away with a receipt and his card, slipping them into his back pocket.

He saw Gibbs walking towards him with his jacket and smiled. He stumbled again and almost fell right into him. Gibbs caught him with a chuckle and helped him back to a steadier stance. He wrapped his arm around the younger man's shoulders under the pretext of helping his drunken ass make his way safely across the bar. They both joked about the green accents people were wearing, Tony trying to make his comments in an Irish brogue that sounded more like the Munchkins of Oz. They laughed their way to the door.

They stepped outside into the cold night air and Tony shivered immediately. Gibbs realized he still had his coat and moved to help him put it on. Tony shrugged his way into it gratefully. "You know, you actually wear a _lot_ of green. I'm surprised you didn't wear something today." Gibbs said.

"I was rebelling." he explained.

"Ah. That's a shame. Brings out your eyes." Gibbs said, eyes locked on Tony's own. Tony suddenly felt shy. That was a very obvious flirtation. An actual come on. They were crossing into that final territory here. It's not just maybes now. There's no "maybe" about that one. Gibbs was flat out seducing him, successfully.

"Well, you know, that's why I wear it. Was taught to accent my best features." he said with an attempt at cocky that actually showed off his insecurities.

"I'm grateful to your teacher." Gibbs said, looking right into those green eyes, a smile on his face of unabashed lust now. "Because you have eyes worthy of accenting."

Tony stood there speechless at first. He had gone the entire day depressed as all hell because he couldn't hang with six men who had become complete strangers to him and had always given him a hard time about his explorations with men. Now he was standing here being hit on- no- being complimented in a way that made him melt- by the one and only Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the man who held his heart in his hands and didn't even know it.

Tony smiled a coy smile. "You're one to talk, Jethro." he chanced. Gibbs felt his breath catch in his chest at Tony's use of his name. He could do nothing but smile back. They just stood there on the sidewalk, staring at each other and smiling like star crossed lovers, in one of Tony's cheesey movies, when a cab pulled up to the curb. Both men had their attention stolen by it and jumped instinctively to grab it before someone else could. They both slid in and Gibbs gave the driver his address. Tony didn't even question that they were going to Gibbs'. He had the guest room and Tony had stayed in it plenty of times after a night of drinking and watching Gibbs work on the boat.

They rode the whole way there in silence, both resting their heads on the back of the seat but turned towards one another, staring at each other's eyes and lips as they smiled back. Twenty minutes later they were pulling up and Gibbs was paying the cabbie. They got into the house and Tony hung his coat up on the coat rack in the living room. Gibbs moved to hang his jacket up on it too and ran a hand across the small of Tony's back then moved towards the steps.

Tony froze for a moment, letting the touch warm him, and then followed Gibbs up the steps towards the guest room. Gibbs saw Tony stop by the guest room door and back tracked a couple of steps to grab his arm and pull him along towards the master bedroom instead. Tony smiled shyly, a complete lack of his usual cockiness and Gibbs found it adorably becoming on the man. It was honest.

They didn't need to talk. They had never needed words to read one another. It was automatic. They had discussed it all with their eyes on the way home. Tony knew that he was about to be taken to bed by the man he'd been pining over for years. He didn't know if Gibbs had been pining as long as he had, but the way they had talked and flirted tonight, and the honesty in Gibbs eyes as they talked outside of the bar, made him well aware that the attraction had been there for a long time, and that was good enough for him tonight.

Gibbs pulled him in and immediately towards the bed. He sat on the bed and pulled Tony down on next to him by the hand, then pushed him gently to lay back. Tony let himself fall back, enjoying the older man taking the lead. He always led with women, but when he was with a man, he preferred to be led at first. He watched as Gibbs leaned down over him, blue eyes shining and asking for permission. His hand went up around the back of his neck, fingers grasping the short silver hairs on the back of his head to grant it.

A moment later he felt Gibbs lips warm against his. It was much sweeter than he expected it to be. He had always figured that if this were to finally happen it would be in the heat of rough passion, exploding out of nowhere. This was just as intense but deeper.

Gibbs mouth was tender but sure. There was no hesitation but he took his time kissing Tony, enjoying the sensation of the male mouth he had long denied himself access to. Kissing a man was so different from kissing a woman. He had forgottenhow much he enjoyed it. He was going to make it last as long as possible. He ran his fingers down the side of Tony's face as they kissed causing him to lean into it a little more. He moved so his fingers found their way into Tony's hair and pulled just a little so that Tony into his mouth.

Tony thought he was going to explode already. He felt Gibbs' fingers pulling on his hair and his cock sprung to attention completely from half mast in less than a second. It ached suddenly with a throbbing need. He was on fire from head to toe. His hands reached Gibbs' shoulders and he could feel the Marine's surprisingly firm muscles as he let his hands explore his back. Gibbs shuddered as the movement on his back gave him the chills. He raised his head from the kiss for just a moment to let himself feel its delicious thrill. His hard on was pressing against Tony's thigh and he felt lightning shoot up his groin every time he moved. Tony could feel Gibbs' taut member grazing his leg and yearned to touch it.

He moved to untuck Gibbs shirt from his pants and pull it over his head. The man helped and then began working on Tony's buttons. Soon they were both shirtless and exploring one another's chests and abs. Tony's fingers grazed Gibbs' nipples intentionally and he watched the man's expression change. He gave them a few more passes and then wrapping his hands around Gibbs' neck, pulled him in for another deep kiss. There was so much fire in this kiss that they both felt it in their toes as they stretched and flexed their digits, their legs tangling themselves together as much as possible.

Gibbs let his kisses trail down Tony's throat and nibbled his ear gently. Tony moaned into the attack and thrust against the man. Gibbs returned the moan and they both knew they weren't going to last much longer. "Tony, I need to touch you." Gibbs whispered with a raspy voice in his ear.

"Yes, God, please, Jethro." he half whispered half begged. "Please." Gibbs reached to unbutton his pants, kissing his way down Tony's chest and stomach. Once his kisses reached his waistband, he pulled Tony's pants and boxers off. Tony sat up immediately as his cock was revealed, pulling at Gibbs' pants, freeing him as well. A mere moment later, Gibbs was lying on top of Tony, as much skin as possible touching him. He reached up to touch Tony's face.

"You're so damn beautiful." he told him, gazing into those bright green eyes. "I'm sorry I've been too afraid to tell you that." Tony melted as Gibbs took his lips in his own again and began kissing him deeply. Their tongues attacked one another, battling for no reason other than the pleasure of battle.

Gibbs moved to reach between them, taking both of their hard members in one semi-calloused hand. Tony's breath hitched at the contact and Gibbs moaned. His hands worked up from the base in one long, firm stroke, his fingertips gracing the tip of Tony's head with their touch. Tony arched up into the touch, raising both men up off the bed. Gibbs' free hand moved behind Tony's head, pulling him closer as he took his mouth again and again. His hand on their cocks stroked with the perfect amount of pressure. He had forgotten how breathtaking the feeling of a man's hard cock could feel in his hand. He let himself admit just how much he had missed it and let that fuel the passion he had for Tony in the moment. He gave it his everything as he stroked them with soft thrusts, letting their cocks rub against each other as he rubbed them both.

Tony was whimpering as Gibbs hand stroked them, but once he began thrusting, Tony lost all control. He began thrusting as well and it pushed Gibbs to the edge. He felt the warmth spread out from the base of his spine and his feet began to tingle with loss of blood as it rushed up his legs to fulfill his need. He felt Tony's member swell just a little bit more as the man cried out and came, his face a beautiful contortion that pushed Gibbs over the edge. He growled loudly and let his warmth spill all over them. They were a sticky, panting mess and he loved it. He fell next to Tony, their cum sticking to him and running down his stomach onto the bed.

"My God Tony." he prayed. "Why didn't we do that sooner?" he asked.

Tony turned and looked at him, panting between smiling lips, eyes hazy. "Best fucking question you've asked me all night." Tony said.

They laid there for a long time as they came back to earth, dizzy from their release and alcohol consumption. Gibbs rebounded first. "Do you know how fucking hot you look with my cum all over you?" he asked, voice raspy with desire again already in his ear. "So hot."

Tony groaned, his cock twitching for more. He reached down and ran his fingertips through the liquid on his stomach and let it stick to his fingers. He ran his entire hand through it, eyes closed in the ecstacy of the moment. It was incredibly hot. He took the liquid and used it as lube and stroked his hardening cock.

Gibbs watched with fascination, his hand on his own cock, as Tony stroked himself with their cum on his hands. "Holy shit, Tony." he groaned.

"God, your cum feels so good on my cock. So good." he began stroking himself faster and harder. Gibbs pace followed as he watched Tony wipe more cum off of his stomach before continuing the pace. Gibbs found himself on his knees looking down on Tony from the side and stroked himself hard and fast, letting himself go. Tony opened his mouth and Gibbs pressed his head against his lips. Watching Tony eagerly accept it caused him to begin to shudder hard. He stroked himself through it, milking himself into Tony's mouth. Tony's tongue teased his slit, sucking as much out of him as possible as he came himself, shuddering hard and drenching himself even further. Gibbs watched him as he glistened with their sex.

Gibbs sat back on his feet and waited for them both to come down. He took Tony's hand in his, needing the contact. It was still sticky but he didn't care. "That was incredible." he murmured. Tony just nodded as he panted. After about ten minutes of just watching each other come down from their orgasms, Gibbs pulled Tony to his feet and led him into the shower.

"I'm surprised you're letting me clean up. You seem to really like me covered in you." Tony joked.

"I do apparently. Never thought anyone was so hot with my cum on them ever. But I can't hold you while we sleep if we're going to stick to one another." Tony smiled from ear to ear at the thought of being held by Gibbs while they slept tonight. He followed Gibbs gladly under the stream of hot water and kissed him slowly as they cleaned each other off.

It took everything in Gibbs not to turn Tony around, hands against the tiles and fuck him hard. It was ultimately his favorite way to take a man and the way Tony was kissing him was making him hard all over again. He fought it back as hard as he could though and finally had to pull away from the gorgeous man in his arms. Tony looked hurt for a moment and Gibbs had to chuckle a little as he pulled the man into an embrace. "I want to keep going Tony, but I don't think we should tonight." Tony took that as a promise of more nights to come and sighed happily.

"Okay. Tomorrow night then." he meant it as a joke but Gibbs nodded.

"Tomorrow night, Tony."

Tony's heart fluttered. They stepped out of the shower and toweled off. Just a few minutes later, they were getting into bed together, naked, and wrapping around one another. Gibbs legs were tangled with Tony's. Their arms were wrapped tightly around each other, bringing their chests together. They kissed a little more and then rested their foreheads together. Tony normally hated sleeping with his face this close to someone. The breathing became uncomfortable. Tonight though, he felt it wasn't close enough. He fell asleep happier than he had ever been, in the arms of the man he loved.

Gibbs felt Tony's breath steady and even out into sleep. He couldn't believe he was holding his SFA in his arms. It felt so right. He was breaking one of his biggest rules but he didn't give a damn. He had spent too long denying a big part of who he was and he had a feeling that denial had hurt more than just himself. It had become very clear to him tonight just how Tony felt. The man rarely became emotionally invested with someone and he was extremely honored to find that he was one of the lucky few. He didn't know what was in store for them, but he was out of the basement now, and he was going to let himself find out.


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs woke up with the first bit of light that crept through the window, drifting right through the plain white curtains. He was holding Tony against his chest as the younger man snored lightly. He was caught between the joy of having Tony still in his arms, and the pounding headache he was immediately aware of. He hadn't been hung over in years. A soundless chuckle rumbled in his chest for a moment before it caused shockwaves of pain to threaten splitting his head open. His eyes rolled back and he shook his head. He looked down at the man against him though and smiled again despite it all.

It just seemed so unreal, like an unexpectedly perfect dream; the type where you wake up realizing you had just been given the answer to a great personal mystery and you want to smack yourself in the head at the obviousness of it. He knew if he were to smack his head right then though, it would most likely explode. He figured they had made enough of a mess of the sheets last night so his hands stayed right where they were, on Tony's back, where they belonged. He couldn't help but feel smug at the thought of sleeping in the bed he and Tony had defiled one another in just hours ago. He felt the warmth pooling in his groin just thinking about Tony's naked body lying there. He immediately tried to fight it off and then realized he didn't have to any more. He _had_ Tony. He was right there, naked still, and able to be taken.

They should probably talk some stuff out before things went too far, but neither of them were really the _talk it out_ types. Gibbs knew that actions spoke louder than words. After all, a glance, a nod, the right body language and Tony knew exactly what he was thinking. What would making love to him first thing in the morning tell him?

Gibbs didn't hold himself back this time and let the fantasy run away with him for a minute, hardening him immediately. He had promised Tony that he'd take him in the shower tonight. He planned to keep that promise. The image of Tony pressed against the tiles, wet from the steaming stream of water coming from the shower head, slick with soap, clawing for something to hold on to and not finding anything, flooded his mind. Gibbs groaned involuntarily deep in his chest. He didn't realize his hands had begun to clutch at Tony's back, waking him.

He opened his lids to find Tony's own shining green eyes dilated and staring straight back into his, glazed with sleep and lust. He licked his lips and Gibbs leaned in to capture his mouth in a demanding kiss.

Tony arched against him, giving in to the primal and insistent need they were both feeling. They had been craving one another for so long, and now there was a lot of lost time to be made up for. Tony felt more than the sexual gravity that pulled him towards the older man, though. He'd had a little voice in his head last night as they held each other, that tried to remind him that they were really drunk and things might change in the morning when they were sober and able to feel regret again. He needed the reassurance that Gibbs really did want him, and the way he was being kissed right now told him that not only did Gibbs want him, but he _needed_ Tony as much as Tony needed Gibbs

The kiss deepened and Tony's tongue tangled with Gibbs' in ways he didn't think were possible. He felt himself being pushed down onto the bed as Gibbs rolled him onto his back, draping his own body over the younger man. Gibbs loved the feel of Tony's firm body under his, especially when he could feel the heat pouring off of it in waves. They both were burning with the need to touch one another.

Tony's hands were learning every muscle of Gibbs' back, caressing, squeezing, and scratching as he went. Gibbs' right hand was behind Tony's head, fingers in his hair as he threatened to suffocate them both with his kiss. His left hand began at Tony's face, fingers running down his jawline, then his throat. From there his hand moved down his shoulder and arm, feeling his strength, causing goosebumps to form on both of them. He traced the way back up, caressing Tony's chest before running down his side, stomach and back.

Hairy legs rubbed against one another as Tony began to thrust under Gibbs, unable to wait another minute for more contact. His hard cock rubbed against Gibb's groin and Gibbs' aching member was suddenly stroked by Tony's muscular thigh. Gibbs had no control over himself as his head snapped away from Tony and he gasped for air sharply. When he exhaled, it came out with as a growl. He looked down to find Tony's fiery gaze challenging him to take things up a notch or ten.

Gibbs, never being one to back down from a challenge, definitely not from Tony, and _especially_ not from a naked Tony, stared straight back as he moved to straddle him. His legs found themselves on either side of Tony's waist and he sat back until his groin was right over Tony's. He wasn't surprised to find Tony already dripping with pre-cum as he reached down to tease him, running one finger up the underside of Tony's cock with a featherlike caress. What _did_ surprise him was that he wanted more than anything to bend over and just taste him. He had done a lot of things with men back in the day, and they had done a lot of things to him, but he had never felt comfortable sucking another man off. Now he felt compelled to give it a try.

He wrestled with the idea for a moment, watching Tony shiver as he ran that tantalizing touch up his lover's shaft. Tony's eyes closed and his mouth hung open a little as he laid there in ecstasy, giving in to the feelings running through him. Gibbs couldn't help but watch the younger man in amazement. He was suddenly so open. Everything he felt was written right there on his face, not only the sexual bliss but the total trust he had in the one creating the bliss. It was contagious, making Gibbs want to give in and feel that way. He wanted to let himself feel the safety the other man offered him, the joy that he could bring him, the healing that he could already feel happening despite it all, and at that moment, the freedom to explore what he really wanted sexually out of a male lover.

He decided a taste couldn't hurt anything. He bent, diverting to Tony's mouth in a moment of hesitation, letting the man know he knew how he was feeling with his lips. Tony's hands came up to his face and held him there a moment longer, returning his own explanation in the same way. Every bit of hesitation flew out of the window with that kiss. Gibbs knew that he would do anything he could to please Tony now. He had felt the hunger, the need, the connection with Tony that he needed to know was there before turning himself over so fully to him.

He kissed his way down Tony's chest, taking his time to cause as much pleasure as he could for both of them. He let himself really feel the hair on Tony's chest, the hardening nipples in between his lips, and the firm muscles on his stomach. He knew Tony had been working out more lately and he tried to make a mental note to compliment his efforts later.

Gibbs was out of things to kiss above the waist now. He teased Tony's thighs with a couple but decided he couldn't wait anymore. He was leaking all over himself as he postponed doing what he really craved. He poised himself, mouth over Tony's now glistening cock and looked up into his lover's face to watch the realization hit the younger man of what he was about to do. He smirked a little as Tony's head fell back against the pillow. He felt like he had just won a hard fought war. He let his mouth descend on Tony's member without hesitation now, letting his tongue sweep over the slit in the top and lap up the liquid waiting for him there.

There was a moment where Gibbs sat still with Tony's head right past his lips while he let himself experience the taste dancing around his mouth. It was perfect.

Tony was still letting out a low moan when he bent in an arch that forced his dick further down Gibbs throat than the older man had any idea he would be able to take him. It put Gibbs on the verge of coming instantly and he had to fight to control himself.

Gibbs tongue finally started moving around Tony's shaft as he pulled back a little and then swallowing hard, forced Tony down into his throat and held him there a moment. Something about having a hard cock in his throat had him turned on in a way he had never experienced. He was tingling from head to toe. His eyes rolled back in his head as he tried desperately to get a grip on himself. He was so close to coming just like that, but he didn't want to yet. Tony, he could tell, was having the same experience. He could feel every muscle tense in the body beneath him, and he surged with pride at being able to please the younger man despite his lack of experience at this particular tactic.

Once under control again, Gibbs began moving up and down, running his tongue in playful patterns across Tony's bulging veins, licking the head as often as he could, loving the taste of his lover. It was a taste all its own, and he would forever associate it with Tony. The idea of "Tony" and "forever" in the same thought made him shiver. It wasn't with anxiety or fear, but instead was the kind of chill you get when warming up by the fire after being out in the cold for hours. He could almost feel it in his bones.

Gibbs' hand went around the base of Tony's cock and squeezed before stroking upward as his mouth moved up and then back down as he descended again as far as he could. Each pass became easier and easier to take Tony into his throat and he relished in the panting moans he elicited from his lover. He felt Tony's thick fingers in his hair and after a few more passes, he let Tony dictate the pace he moved, letting his hand move to his balls.

Tony guided him faster and faster over him until Gibbs finally gave his nut-sack one final squeeze and found his head being forced down as far as he could go. He was held there while Tony came down his throat with a loud growling yell. It was an incredible sensation, feeling Tony's warmth hitting his throat in multiple shots. When he finally couldn't breathe anymore he tapped Tony's arm and wrenched his hands off of his head, pulling himself free. Tony was frozen in a moment of bliss, unable to move. Gibbs reached out for his own swollen member and took it in one long slow stroke, brushing his thumb over the head. He wanted to give in to the orgasm that was beating on the floodgates to be let through but he wanted to stare at Tony a little longer.

The man was gorgeous like this. He was more relaxed than he had ever seen him, his mouth hanging open slightly, his eyes would be wide if they were open, and his face was so relaxed that there wasn't a worry line to be found. It was like someone had taken everything negative in Tony's life and erased it right off of his face. It was beautiful. Not to mention how sexy his tone body was glistening in sweat. With another long stroke over himself, he let his other hand reach out and run his fingers down Tony's chest and stomach.

Tony's eyes snapped open and flashed as he saw the sight of the man before him, on his knees, staring down at him with his hand on his dick. The expression on his face said volumes. Tony knew the rare look of tenderness he saw there, despite being masked with lust. It was intense, and he had seen it only on very special occasions, only once directed at himself. His gaze shifted to the hard on in front of him and he licked his lips. It was his turn.

Gibbs saw the feral look taking over Tony's face. In a moment the man was on his knees in front of Gibbs, taking the man's hands off himself and holding them together above his head in mid-air. "That's mine." was all he said before releasing the hands and lowering himself from an upright kneel to a crouch. He knew Gibbs wouldn't be able to hold out at his point and he didn't want him to. He wanted the man to feel the same release he just felt, to share that with him, and quickly.

He gripped the base of Gibbs' cock and let his mouth press against the head, already slick with pre-cum. His tongue circled it, tasting as much as he could before starting a quick, slurping bob. He heard Gibbs' voice, raspy with lust, above him. "Tony! Damn it! I can't believe... Ahh shit! You're amazing..." Tony let his tongue run roughly back and forth over the under slide of his dick as he moved up and down with his head, taking as much of Gibbs in as he could with each stroke. He decided he couldn't wait anymore. He wanted to drink him in. He swallowed Gibbs' as deeply as he could take him and held him there, sucking hard.

Gibbs knew that Tony was ready for him to give in and he couldn't help but follow his non-verbal command. He threw his head back and let out a growl as he lost the battle with the orgasm, letting it crash over him like a tidal wave, wiping out every bit of his energy and taking with it many of the walls he had built up to keep Tony out over the years. He felt Tony sucking him dry and tried to hold himself up on his weak knees. Tony finally released him. He knelt to be back to Gibbs' height and the older man collapsed against him, face on his shoulder, silver hair tickling his face into an even wider smile. He lowered them both back onto the bed, Gibbs head on Tony's chest.

Tony wrapped his arms around his lover, letting him ride out his bliss while basking in his own. He thought about what he was finally able to do. He had just pleasured Gibbs in a way he had always fantasized about, but it was so much better than any fantasy. In his fantasies, he didn't even let himself imagine the emotions he saw running across Gibbs face afterwards. He especially had never imagined he would be lying so intimately against him afterwards. It had him on a high that surpassed in many ways, the orgasm Gibbs had given him. That had been incredible, too, though. More than incredible. He couldn't believe that this was happening, but he sure as hell was glad it was.

He felt Gibbs starting to come back to reality, but only because the man's arms went around him in a tighter embrace. He carefully stroked Gibbs' back in a gentle way, responding to the wordless statement he was making by holding him and letting himself be held. He couldn't really explain it, but in that moment, Gibbs was stronger than he had ever known him to be, and more vulnerable than he ever imagined he could be. It made his heart soar and yet he felt more grounded than he ever had in his entire life. _This_ was exactly where he was supposed to be.

Tony woke up to the sound of Gibbs' phone vibrating on the table next to him. He looked at the clock and saw that it was after ten. Gibbs was still asleep on his chest, a death grip of a hug around his torso. He smiled and ignored the phone to watch his lover sleep. Five minutes later, a little more conscious and more aware of things, Tony heard the phone vibrate again. He reached over and picked it up, checking the caller ID. It was Vance. "Damn it." he whispered to himself.

"Hey, Gibbs? Vance is calling you. Second time in five minutes." He said quietly.

"Hmm?" was the only reply. Tony smiled down at Gibbs' endearing morning dopiness but thrust the phone into his hand.

"It's Vance. Wake up." Gibbs' head lifted off of Tony's chest and shook itself of sleep. Gibbs was "Boss" again in that split second.

"Gibbs." He said into the phone.

Tony listened closely enough that he could make out some of what was being said on the other end. Whatever Gibbs was working on in MTAC so late last night had sprung an intelligence leak and Gibbs was needed in the office right away.

"Shit, Leon. I'm on my way." The phone snapped closed rather quickly and with such a loud noise that Tony was afraid he had broken it. He was aware immediately that he was about to be left alone and though a piece of him felt the fear of abandonment, he knew that the job needed to be done, and Gibbs was the one to do it.

Gibbs looked up at Tony with regret in his eyes. It wasn't something Tony was used to. He decided to cut it off at the pass.

"Go jump in the shower. I'll throw on some clothes and call a cab. I'll pick up my car at the yard and when you're able to leave later, I'll take you to go get your car." Gibbs' eyes opened wide as he realized that neither of them had a car there.

"Shit. I forgot."

Tony smiled a little. "Come on. I'll throw the switch on the coffee pot while I'm at it."

That got Gibbs moving. He went to get up and then stopped a second before lowering himself back over Tony and kissing him quickly but deeply. "I'll make it up to you. Promise." He said and when Tony smiled broadly at him, he couldn't help but smile himself. He made his way to the shower and Tony followed for a moment to brush his teeth and run a wet rag over himself.

Ten minutes later he was dressed in his slacks from the day before and a plain black t-shirt he found in Gibbs' drawers, making coffee in Gibbs' kitchen. He could come back here for the rest of his stuff after getting his car, he decided. Before last night, he had nothing planned for today other than a lazy Sunday of wallowing in his own self-pity.

He was staring out the window with a cup of coffee for himself and one for Gibbs on the counter, contemplating sneaking some of his own sheets over to change the ones upstairs, when he felt Gibbs arms come around his waist. He leaned back against the strong body behind him and nuzzled into the head that was propped on his shoulder.

"I could really get used to this." Gibbs whispered in his ear with a sigh.

Tony couldn't help the surprised smile that came over his face and the breathy chuckle that escaped with it. "Yeah?" he asked quietly.

"Well, yeah Tony. Who wouldn't want to wake up to incredible, hot sex with an even more incredible, hot man who makes him coffee?" He said with a hint of mischievous joy to his voice.

Tony cracked up laughing and turned to face him with a beaming smile of his own. His arms went around Gibbs' waist and he kissed him with just enough passion to let him know how he felt about him, but not so much that it would leave him brain-fuzzy for MTAC. He pulled back and stared into his sky blue eyes. They looked different this morning. Gibbs looked different in general. Younger, happier, and oddly relaxed. It was extremely becoming on him and Tony realized that _he_ was going to be the one brain-fuzzy all day.

Tony let him go so he could get a chance to suck down some coffee before the cab got there. He watched Gibbs take his cup and turn to lean casually back against the counter, drinking down half of the mug and watching Tony the entire time over the edge of it.

Gibbs thought about hot Tony looked in his shirt and wrinkled pants, knowing how they got that way. He especially loved how the man hadn't touched his hair. It was messy but not in the slept-in way, rather in the way that said not much sleeping had taken place. He smirked to himself at the thought. He felt strangely at ease inside. He was worried he would feel weird about them today, but he felt, if anything, better about it. He hoped he could get out of MTAC at a decent time tonight so that he could still keep his promise to Tony in the shower tonight. He had to look back down into his coffee mug to keep himself from picturing Tony in the shower again. Now was NOT the time for a hard-on.

He poured another mug and then filled a Styrofoam cup before putting a lid on it. He handed Tony a cup with the questioning look that asked if he wanted some to go. Tony nodded and took the cup, pouring the rest of the pot into it and added sugar and milk. They heard the honk outside that said the cab had pulled up. Tony reached to make sure he had everything he needed. He had his wallet, badge, gun and keys. He picked up the coffee and followed Gibbs to the door, back into work mode, on his six.

They climbed in the back seat and Gibbs told the driver where they were headed. Gibbs phone rang before they could even leave the street. It was Vance. He rolled his eyes to Tony as he saw the questioning look.

"Gibbs." he answered.

Tony listened but couldn't pick up the other side of the conversation.

"I'm on my way in right now. Don't let that jack-off do anything until I'm there, Leon! He has no idea what he's doing and I'm not about to let this op get blown to hell and back, not to mention our agents, because he wants to go off half-cocked and _try_ to prove himself. The only thing he'll succeed at is proving he's an even bigger idiot than everyone already thinks he is!"

Tony watched the character assassination and marveled at the change from just a few minutes ago. He had to admit that Gibbs was hot when he was angry. Well, at least when he was angry at someone that wasn't on the team. He had a special kind of anger with his team. There was a hint of disappointment in it that just twisted the knife. This kind of fiery anger, though, was definitely attractive. It made Gibbs set his jawline firmly and his eyes burned brightly, the color deepening. He looked powerful and Tony realized that it was probably that more than anything else that made his anger attractive. Power and confidence were always things he found attractive in men. Not the flashy over-confidence that he himself sometimes had, but the quiet confidence that earned the right peoples' respect and, in the wrong people, instilled fear.

Gibbs' conversation had caused the cabbie to speed up. Whether it was because of the tone of the conversation or what was said, Tony didn't know, but the driver refused to look back at them two men in the mirror. Tony looked at Gibbs with a question in his expression. _E Everything okay?_ Gibbs let the anger drop from his face for a second and nodded his head in a bobble that said he would be okay, but things could be better. Tony nodded back his understanding and just like usual, the entire conversation had said everything it needed to without a single word.

They pulled into the yard and the cabbie dropped them off at the first guard gate. Tony leaned forward and paid the man, seeing as Gibbs had paid for their fare the night before. They walked towards the garage together so Tony could get his car.

"Call me when you get free later and I'll come get you." Tony said quietly.

Gibbs looked at him and nodded, a small smile forming as he took in the concerned look on Tony's face. He knew that the man cared for him deeply, and he felt himself fighting back the urge to tell him that the feelings were mutual. He wanted to have that conversation today, but now it was going to have to wait. "I'll see you tonight then, Tony." He nodded and started towards the elevator as Tony turned towards his car.

Tony was just opening the car door when his phone rang. It was Gibbs. He looked over and the man was standing at the elevator staring at him, leaning against the wall in a casual way that was so against what he knew of his character that his mouth hung open a little. "Hey?" Tony said with a bit of a squeak.

"Don't forget, as long as I get out of here at a decent time, we have plans tonight." The line disconnected and Tony could see Gibbs' smirk from his place halfway across the garage. He watched as the older man turned and got on the elevator, shamelessly checking him out. He couldn't wait to get him home tonight.

Tony climbed into his car, smiling to himself at their plans for the shower. He tried not to let his body run away with his mind, but it was futile. He took a few deep breaths and thought about what all he should do today.

First things first, get to his house and get cleaned up. He was going to pick Gibbs up looking as sexy as possible. He wanted to make sure he had everything ready for tonight, meaning clean sheets and dinner waiting for them when they got back to Gibbs' house. He also needed a fresh to-go bag packed for this week and clothes for work tomorrow since he knew there was no way in hell he was going home tonight.

He left the yard and drove past Mitchell at the guard gate, who looked at him questioningly seeing as he had just come in via cab. Tony smiled. He started thinking about the implications at work of Gibbs' and his budding relationship. (A part of him was nervous thinking about it as a... relationship.) He didn't know how he felt about anyone knowing that they were seeing each other. He knew how easily rumors started and he wondered how long it would take for some to start about the two of them. He contemplated what it would take to tip folks off, especially the team.

He was amused by the idea that perhaps they already had started, long ago when Gibbs had brought Tony to the team. He had uncharacteristically taken the time to train and guide him, with patience that he had learned was even rarer. He smiled at the thought. It wouldn't have surprised him a bit, but after years of watching their friendship progress, he figured it would have thrown everyone in the yard off the scent by now. Hopefully the two of them could keep things as platonic as possible for as long as possible before anyone suspected. Well, at work that is.

Tony decided he wanted to see where they really stood before he would let himself begin worrying about things like that. For now, he was just going to enjoy finally having the man he had desired for so long. Today was going pretty damn well for him and he wasn't going to let anything ruin that. He was going to go get ready for a night of seriously passionate, raw sex. _What could put you in a better mood?_ he thought.

Tony pulled into his parking spot and headed up into his apartment. He had a lot to do and no real idea of how much time he had to do it in. He had a feeling this was going to be a "hurry up and wait" kind of afternoon. He would suffer though it gladly.

Gibbs stormed into MTAC, coffee cup in one hand, swiping a headset from the console with the other. He was back in beast mode, ready to bite off heads. He had gotten as much of the mischief out of his system as possible at the house and then with that call. Watching Tony's reaction from his spot by the elevator was just what the doctor ordered. He was able to do some deep breathing in the lift and was focused in a way that he hadn't felt in a while. Things were clicking. He ran through the situation in his head. The op was still salvageable. Info had been leaked but it had only been so much. The back half of the op was still very doable. They just had to reroute how they got there, and he thought he had just the solution.

Vance looked at him with both anger and concern, but couldn't hide the relief on his face. He had obviously been getting some flack for not taking immediate action but for all their differences, he trusted Gibbs' skills as an agent above most others. There were three windows up on the feed and the people in them all looked to Gibbs for the answers they needed. One man was obviously on a tablet feed and looked pretty nervous despite being in uniform. He was the man that Connelly, the punk of the hour, had sent in prematurely, trying to score points.

After asking the Marine what happened, Gibbs knew that he had barely gotten away with his life. If he had been just a minute earlier at any point that day, he would have been caught and tortured for more information than what was lost with his belongings. He had his tablet on his person when he took off running. The thumb drive with the info on it that he had been using as collateral had been in his case which was now in enemy hands.

Gibbs knew that Tim himself had created the encryption on the thumb drive and it would take quite a bit of time to crack, but once they did manage it, part A of their plan would be worthless. They couldn't take the chance though that it had been compromised so they moved forward beyond that option. They could finish their plans but it would have to be a rush job now.

They had tried to keep the op low key enough to minimalize casualties but loud enough to make sure rumor got to the right people. Wasn't going to happen now. It was about to become a very dark day. Gibbs preferred the covert way of doing things. Their only option to keep their agents safe, their marine and army personal protected and still complete their mission was to get dirty. Gibbs knew though that if they didn't, things would get messier as the people upstairs tried to take over, playing politics and bickering while things got worse and worse until Gibbs had to get things taken care of through backdoor connections. He was running out of favors to call in

He began running down the list of what everyone was going to have to do. There were people to contact, orders to give, directions to be followed.

Vance sat in the chair behind him, watching as Gibbs took over naturally and handled things in that way that only Gibbs could. He knew the man was a powerful ally and a terrifying enemy to have, despite how stoic he tried to play it most of the time. Something was different today, though. He was, if at all possible, even more confident than usual. He didn't even look to Vance to make sure his directives were okay. He just ran the show. Not that Leon minded. It was nice to turn over the reins to someone he knew could handle the horses, but he was curious in the part of him that saw Gibbs as a personal enigma.

By now, he knew Gibbs an agent pretty well, but as a person, he was just one of the many, watching the MCRT like some mystical puzzle, trying to unravel it and put it together in their minds. Gibbs was the leader of the pack, and the only people that were allowed into his life were his team, Ms. Scuito, Dr. Mallard, and on occasion, Mr. Palmer. He envied Jenny's perspective some days and wished he had it. He knew how she had gotten that perspective though, and what it cost her. He didn't envy anyone who had ever been on the other end of the emotional heartbreak a guy like Gibbs could cause.

The Senior Agent had dismissed all three people on the screen to go about their tasks. He told the board operators to bring up Connelly. Vance sat up in his seat as much as he could without leaning forward.

"Agent Gibbs. Be careful. Enough toes have been stepped on today."

Gibbs turned around on him and the director fought back the urge to cringe. "I don't give a damn about the political niceties Director. I'm trying to protect national security and keep our men and women alive. I'm just going to make sure that Connelly knows his place in that."

Gibbs blue eyes had gone icy and turned back to the screen without waiting for the dirty look he fully expected, from Vance. A pale, well built man came up on the screen. He looked a little over thirty, but not by much. Gibbs glared at the man and put his hand up as he saw him open his mouth to speak.

"Save it, Connelly! I don't want to hear it. What you did was stupid, reckless, and you almost got one of our best coverts killed. You've wasted a significant amount of recon, set into motion events that allowed valuable, classified materials to slip into the wrong hands, and when you have to give the orders for our soldiers to carry out their directives in a few hours, the lives of any civilian casualties will be on your head. And there will be casualties. We have to go back to the original plan now. We tried to play nice. Tried to keep things from getting out of control, and now, because of your selfish, ignorant pride, we're going to have to take drastic measures so that we don't wake up next week to the next 9/11. And that's going to cost lives- innocent lives. So the next time you decide to go off chart and change the plans, trying to be the hero, remember tomorrow's headlines, depicting us as the demons we're going to have to become today! Look at the photos, and know that we could have done something completely different if you hadn't tried to impress Daddy!"

Gibbs voice had been a shout to begin with, and by the end, it was a full on yell. He was in full-on Gunny mode. Vance and the operators all sat back staring at him like he had three heads. His voice dropped dramatically and Vance swore the room got colder. "Get ready. You have three hours and 27 minutes." Gibbs looked over at the gawking operators and motioned for them to cut the feed. They both frantically turned back to their panels and made it happen.

Taking a drink of his coffee Gibbs looked over towards the console operators. "Bring up the overhead satellite feed. I wanna get a look at what we're up against." He turned to look over his shoulder at Vance who was staring at him, trying to get a read. "What?" he asked, suppressing an eye roll.

"Oh, not much. Just wondering if Connelly is the type to tell Daddy Admiral about that kind of conversation and whether or not I'm going to have to run interference." he replied, not bothering to hide the smile that said he wished he could have been the one to say it. Gibbs smiled too as he turned to look at the feed coming up.

"He wouldn't dare, Leon. He knows I can put him in the line of fire." he made sure to keep the humor in his voice but the operators still looked at each other with wide eyes as covertly as possible. It was always an experience for them when Gibbs was running an op. Despite how frequently it happened these days, they still couldn't get used to it, and he was especially abrasive today for some reason.

Gibbs looked over the satellite feed for a while and stood making notes in the semi-dark room. He took the last drink of his coffee and decided that he was going for more immediately.

"I'll be back in ten." He said as he turned to drop his pad and pencil on the console with his headset. He caught the two operators suddenly relaxing their shoulders and smiled at himself. He thought they would have been broken in by now. They had both been on duty for numerous ops with him over the past year.

Taking the stairs to the bullpen to get his gun and badge, he caught himself smiling and felt the weird energy with which he took the steps. Abby would probably call it "a bounce in his step". He felt oddly aware of his mood. Despite having to do what he was going to have to do today, and his anger at the Admiral's son who felt he had everything to prove but none of the responsibility that went with it, he felt pretty damn wonderful.

He rode the elevator alone and thought about calling Tony to let him know it was going to be at least 1700 before he was going to be ready to be picked up. He didn't know if he would be able to keep his head as clear as he needed it to be, though, if he heard his lover's voice. He smiled brighter to himself as he realized he was actually kind of nervous about making the call. It became a personal challenge to dial and he made himself do it.

Tony picked up on the third ring, surprise in his voice. Gibbs eyes closed on their own accord and a chill went through him as he heard the other man greet him.

"Hey sexy. Miss me?" Gibbs felt his face turn a little warm and he stopped a bit away from the coffee cart across from the building.

"Yeah, actually. I think I do." he said playfully.

"Oh, really?" Tony said, obvious seduction in his voice.

"Yeah. I mean, I just ran out of coffee and had to come down here and get some myself." he joked, barely able to get it out without full on laughter.

Tony laughed a little. "You're such a bastard, Gibbs." He didn't sound deflated, though. It made Gibbs feel warm from head to toe to hear Tony sound so happy. He had always wanted the man to have someone in his life that could make him sound like that. He never thought that he would get the chance to be that person. He had no idea what was in store for them, but he was going to do his best to not fuck this one up.

"A bastard? Me? Okay, well yeah. But you love it, you know you do." He retorted, trying hard to keep his voice low.

Tony groaned on the other end of the line. "Yeahhhh... I do." He admitted. "So when do I get to pick that firm ass of yours up?" he asked, the seduction back immediately. Gibbs laughed quietly in that personal way lovers did.

"This is going to get messy, Tony. Won't be out of here until at least five. Most likely later."

"That bad huh?" Tony asked, tone turning sympathetic in a way that only someone who had been there would be able to get away with talking to Gibbs in.

"Yeah. On the upside though, I did get to tear Admiral Connelly's son a new one. That put me in a better mood." Tony could hear the smile return on the other end of the line.

"Oh, so that's it. I thought it was that hot romping we got in this morning that had you sounding so happy." Tony meant it playfully but it took Gibbs right back to this morning.

"Damn it! How am I supposed to concentrate now? All I'm going to be able to think about is how you looked this morning, how you tasted..." Gibbs had to stop talking and shook his head hard, trying to ignore the rush of fire that tore through his body. Tony groaned on the other end of the line. It was even more arousing and Gibbs knew he was in trouble.

He looked around for a place to be alone to get his thoughts together and get his throbbing erection under control. There was nowhere. He tried to think quickly. There was a stairwell right inside a side door that led down to the garage. He took long strides for the door, forgetting all about coffee.

"Just a minute, Tony." He said, deciding that there was no way around this one, he was going to have to go straight through it. He burst into the abandoned stairwell and took the steps down. There was a utility closet at the bottom where they kept the bags of salt and such for the winter. He tried the door and found it unlocked. He slipped in and closed it behind him, flipping on the light switch to get a quick glance and his bearings.

"Okay, all alone now. What was that you were saying?" He said quietly into the phone.

"All alone? As in, alone, alone?" Tony asked, more surprised than seductive this time. He was confused. Gibbs couldn't really be initiating phone sex could he? Only one way to find out. "I wish you weren't alone. I wish I was there, on my knees in front of you, giving you a quick blow job to release the tension."

Gibbs leaned back against the door. He wanted nothing more than for Tony to be doing just that right now. He took a quick look towards the ceiling, making sure the room didn't have cameras. "God, Tony. I wish you were, too. I could really use it. I think I'd feel so much better if I could just ram this hard cock down your throat until you begged me for mercy."

 _Damn,_ Tony thought. _He's good._ He couldn't speak. His mouth hung open partially in shock and the other part as instinct as he thought about having Gibbs fucking his mouth. He finally cleared his throat. "Actually Jethro, I'd probably just let you do it. And keep doing it until I got to drink every last drop of you I possibly could. But you already know that." The heavy seduction was back in his voice and his hands moved to pull down his zipper and release his hard cock from his pants. He could hear Gibbs doing the same thing with a low moan. "You know what I know?" he continued.

"No. Tell me." he whispered, stroking himself.

"I know… that… you have your hand on your thick, rock hard, dripping cock right now, and you're thinking about how much you want today to be over so you can take that cock and pound my ass with it." Gibbs groaned and stroked himself faster.

"Shit Tony! I can't wait to take you, make you mine." He panted as he spoke, making it fast and hard, needing the release.

"I already am yours. Have been for years." Tony said as he stroked himself quickly before thinking. Gibbs groaned loudly and Tony knew he was about to explode. Gibbs heard Tony's admission and let the rush of the orgasm tear through him. He was his.

Tony heard the deep gasping of the older man, letting him know he was coming and it put him over the edge too. It left him as limp as a wet noodle and he laid against the couch, sated, the phone resting on his shoulder as he listened to Gibbs recover. Once their breathing shifted back to normal, Gibbs searched for his handkerchief to clean himself up. He had made a bit of a mess on the supplies in the closet and tried to clean it up too.

"You okay over there?" he asked Tony through the phone.

"Ohhhh yeah." Tony said. "You good to go now?"

"I think I can make it, yeah. Needed that. Couldn't concentrate. Going to get some coffee and go knock some heads around. Try to get this sorted out." he replied, waiting on the private side of the door, not wanting to get off the phone yet.

"Good luck, Jethro. I'll see you tonight." Tony told him.

"Thanks. I can't wait." he said with a smile. With that they hung up and Gibbs braced himself for the fact that the real world was waiting on the other side of that door. He would never look at a utility closet again without thinking about how it could be turned into a little piece of paradise.


	3. Chapter 3

Gibbs was back in MTAC with his coffee, a notepad and pencil in hand. Vance watched him intently as he went over the game plan. It was a blend of the old plan and the new. They had originally planned on storming where they thought the warehouse was that the terrorists were hiding and then figured that wouldn't go over well because of multiple safety issues. So, despite it all, they were going to use backhanded tactics and take the building out by explosives, or to be blunt, by using a bomb.

They came across a snag though, when they found out that the headquarters of the cell that they had been tracking had moved their operations into the basement of a building on the market street of an Iraqi village. A cell member turned when they found out that the group had started working with members of various other factions to try and produce biological weapons for attacks on not only US soil, but the military bases throughout the Middle East. He didn't have a problem personally with the attacks on the States, he just didn't like the idea of them doing something so close to home, such as the outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Vance asked Gibbs to look over the alternate op from DC's end. Using resources and connections, he was able to get Staff Sergeant Jacobs to pose as having information needed for the infiltration of local bases in exchange for money. He was to deliver the info wired and monitored, getting recon to storm headquarters. The first part worked perfectly. The cell took the bait hook, line and sinker, desperate to move forward with their attack. Jacobs was granted minimal access to their location, just enough to verify that it existed and from the slight view he had, he knew the weapons cache there was large. He suggested multiple times that they should blow the place at night when the village market was empty, taking out the cache and keeping the weapons off the streets that so many were working hard to protect.

The bigger issue of US safety won out though and the op continued as planned. Jacobs had a thumb drive with the video from his pin cam on it as well as the layout info he was able to glean from sympathetic locals who had been in the building's basement. It also had all of the intel he was able to gather on various members of the cell. It was a micro usb drive, small enough to swallow if need be.

The problem, however, was that he was nowhere near it when he realized he was found out. It was in the kitchen of the small sleeping quarters he was slumming it in, buried in his duffle bag. He had been on the can, trying to go over some stuff on his tablet. He'd just finished his business when he heard the men break in his door. He was out the window of the bathroom before they could even get through.

He took off running and hid in multiple places before finding a small cellar behind a bush, blocking it from the buildings. He hid in it, barely breathing and prayed to get satellite reception from the tablet. He was lucky to get a strong enough signal and made contact. There were a dozen ways that he could have been made, none through his own fault. He knew how dangerous this mission was going to be. He was good at covert tacticals and had been called on multiple times for them. This was just another. He felt it was a little bit of a close call, but other than that, he knew he would survive.

Jacobs wasn't happy about the op's objective being tampered with. Instead of an armed team going in and confiscating the weapons, arresting and interrogating the terrorists to find out what the plans were, they were going to have to either go in and execute them or blow the place. Though he would love to see the weapons off the street, he knew that they wouldn't be able to wait until deep night to infiltrate so it was going to require explosives, rigged to look like another faction had taken them out. The locals wouldn't believe the evidence though. They would know the truth. The only reason the government would even try to hide what they were doing was plausible deniability. No one could prove who did it and no one would try to. Villagers knew how things happened by now. They weren't quiet about it, but they lacked the resources for a proper investigation.

Gibbs was going over all of the possible issues that could go wrong with having Jacobs meet with his connection, get the explosives, get them close enough to the cell's headquarters, and then be far enough away to detonate. He tried desperately not to think about the civilians that would be caught in the blast and shoved his anger for Connelly deeper inside.

Connelly was supposed to wait to send Jacobs to the village until the next morning. Instead, he had sent him in the evening before, having him set up in the sleeping room overnight. The locals had spread word that a soldier was in the village.

The problem was that two men, who Gibbs and the agents gathering intel in Afghanistan and Iraq, believed to have figured out their plan, weren't going to leave the village to meet with their contact for the bio weapons until well after sunrise. The men hated the fact that their cell had worked with the American to begin with, and when they found out that he knew where their headquarters were, they had decided to kill him. Jacobs knew this, Gibbs knew it, but Connelly was so dense that he couldn't see the writing on the wall. He sent Jacobs anyway, and when Jacobs tried to tell him the situation, he had basically told him to stop being a pansy and go.

Now, they had to blow up a building and take out civilians with it, in order to take out a terrorist cell that was playing with sloppy bioweapons before they wiped out the population of two continents with their stupidity. Not only that, but they had to do it as covertly as possible, so as not to alert the other factions that they were going to go after in phase two of their plan, in attempt to find where the biological weapons were coming from.

Gibbs and Vance went over the backup plans of their backup plans in case anything was to go wrong. Two hours later, a call came into MTAC. It was Jacobs. He had received the materials needed and was constructing the crude bomb they would use to blow the building. Gibbs felt the knot tighten in his stomach as he went over the plans with the Marine.

"Sir, what do I do if I can't get close enough to the basement entrance?" he asked. "These guys know that I'm not as dirty as they thought by now. Hell, they could already be moving out."

Gibbs swallowed hard. "Bring the building down on them anyway you can Sergeant." He watched the man's steady hands freeze for a moment as he assembled the bomb on the feed. It was only a moment of hesitation but Gibbs could visually see the steeling of his emotions in the tightness of his jaw, the flexing of his shoulders and the stiffening of his back. He wasn't comfortable with it. Hell, Gibbs wasn't comfortable with it. It was one of those things that, unfortunately, had to be done. They had no real idea what was still in that basement. The bomb had to be strong enough to burn everything in it to the ground if there was a chance a bio-chemical contaminant was present. Jacobs reached into the paper bag next to him and pulled out another stick of C4.

Gibbs had taken a lot of lives in his day, but they were one by one, a bullet for each, hitting intended marks. He didn't want to even think about what he was asking this man to do, and the burden it would be to carry. He felt the weight of the decision to do it on his shoulders heavily as is, but assembling and planting a bomb that he knew would, most likely, take out innocent people, not just targets, was enough to break any man.

"Sergeant. When you are finished with today's op, I want you on the first convoy you can jump back to DC for debriefing." The man looked up with a pop of his neck. He wasn't expected to be back in the States for months.

"Sir?" he asked.

"I want you present to give your side of the story of why we are doing this today. I know it's not something we should have to be dealing with." he said, letting things be read between the lines. Connelly would not be on an op like this for a long time if Gibbs had any say so in it. Vance was already on board, and the time in DC would be a blessing for Jacobs, who had family that lived in the city.

The younger Marine nodded and chewed his lip a bit as he continued his work on the bomb. He worked with a new resolve on his face that Gibbs recognized as fueled by anger. He was familiar with the expression as both he and Vance had worn it all day.

Jacobs told them he was going to turn off the tablet to reserve power, seeing as he didn't have the cable to charge it. Gibbs nodded and told him he wanted his plan of attack in half an hour. The man nodded and turned off the device. Gibbs had worked with Jacobs twice before and was used to the abrupt sign offs. He reminded him of himself that way.

Gibbs checked in with Connelly again. He was quiet and short with him. "Are you ready?" was all he said to the man.

"Yes, sir Agent Gibbs." he said.

"Don't call me "sir"." Gibbs said and motioned for the feed to be cut.

Vance came to stand next to him. "Are _you_ ready, Gibbs?" he asked quietly.

Gibbs looked over at Vance, eyebrows high and then let his expression settle back to its most stoic. "Never am for things like this. We just do them, hope that we're making the right decisions, and trust our guts." He shook his head a little at the heft of the moment. This could not turn out pretty, but he was going to try to make sure that it wasn't as ugly as it could be.

He motioned to the operator to pull up the next screen, looking at his watch. A man with a dark beard, deeply colored skin and white turban came up on the screen. "Agent Gibbs. It is good to see you. I wish it were under better circumstances."

"As do I Malek, as do I. I have been told you were able to make arrangements for our distraction?" he asked.

"Yes. At approximately 1930 tonight, a troupe of my colleagues will be in the village square, inviting all to partake in festivities and then our Imam will hold a community Salah at sunset. Hopefully this will draw enough people from the market to keep everyone safe. I have a man who is going to run into the shop above and cafe next door to encourage people to join in the festival. I do not know how much they are going to be able to throw together, but I do know that Dina is in the village today, which means Tali will be too." He grinned at Gibbs who couldn't help but grin back. He had met Malek a long time ago, and the next day had been introduced to Dina and Tali. Tali was known for her impressive voice, being asked to sing for many high officials, giving her a backstage pass to spy for their allies. Hopefully she could lure a few people far enough away from market street.

Gibbs nodded at the man. "I owe you one, Malek."

"You owe me two, my friend. This one counts as a double."

Gibbs smiled a little as he let out a soft chuckle. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Malek laughed but then his expression turned serious again. "I will pray that only those lives that Allah wills to leave this world tonight, will be taken. I know this has not been an easy decision for you." Gibbs nodded his thanks.

"Let me know when you're ready to cash in those favors Malek. They'll be here."

Malek nodded and the feed was cut. Gibbs stared back at his coffee cup. It was almost empty. He grimaced to himself. He suddenly wished Tony was there. His humor would help untie the knot in his stomach and he could go get him some coffee. He didn't realize he had chuckled to himself and was caught off guard when Vance asked him what was so funny. He realized he was smiling too, and turned to look at the Director.

"I was just thinking that I could use another cup of coffee." he said plainly, the humor gone from his face.

"You have ten minutes before Jacobs is due back." Vance said.

"I know. Can't make it down there. I can hit the head though." he tipped the empty cup at Leon and then turned to leave the room.

* * *

Tony was fidgeting on Gibbs' couch. The TV was antiquated and he had given up and turned it off. He looked around the living room and tried to take a nap. It wasn't working. He was so freaking horny, unable to get the idea of Gibbs, of all people, jacking off in a broom closet at work, out of his head. Not only that, but he was jacking off talking to _him._ It was just incredibly hot, and he was trying not to get himself so worked up thinking about it because he knew what he had in store for him that night. Thinking about what was coming up though made him even hornier. So there he lay, on Gibbs' couch, rock hard, trying to think about everything but Gibbs, but not able to think about anything else.

He switched tactics. He tried to think about _only_ Gibbs. He wondered how MTAC was going, and what was happening. He had barely gotten his feet wet while Gibbs was in Mexico, being let in on certain ops. He didn't have Gibbs' military background that made the Marine such an asset. He had extensive undercover experience though and they had used that to the best of their ability. He knew he had proven something in that short amount of time and changed a lot of minds about what kind of history made you worthy of that sort of trust.

He wondered how much Gibbs really knew about the time in which Tony had to lead the team. Jenny had been Director, and she hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk to Gibbs before they lost her. She hadn't even told him she was sick. Tony had figured it out, questioned her about it, confirmed it, and kept it secret. He figured Gibbs would know right away once he returned, but it looked as though Jen had been hurt by the abrupt leaving as well. She never told him.

The depression that came with that train of thought managed to bring his hard on back down quickly. He was staring at the ceiling, lost in thought when his phone chimed. It was a text and he cringed. It was probably Abby or Tim and he couldn't tell them where he was. He had been considering it, but didn't want to. He opened the phone anyway to read it and saw it was from Gibbs. It was short but Tony was immediately impressed. Gibbs, though understanding the concept of text messaging, had never once replied to one he received. Tony was touched at just the mere gesture that he was putting in this kind of effort.

_Wish you were here._

Tony felt so many things bubble over inside of him and he took a long minute to push it all away so he could respond. He wanted to say so much but all he could bring himself to say was,

_Me too._

That's when it hit him. Why wasn't he there? Not helping with the op, but he could be at his desk, pretending to be busy with something, tinkering at his computer so that as soon as Gibbs snuck out of MTAC, he'd be ready to bring him back here to the house. It was the answer to his worries. He double checked the kitchen to make sure the food was ready to be put in the oven when they got back. He had picked up some take out that he was well aware would be as delicious reheated as it was fresh from the kitchen.

He headed up to the bedroom to turn the lamplight on. He had put the sheets in the washer and had slipped his own fresh, clean sheets on. The bed was made and neat and Tony couldn't wait for Gibbs to get home so they could mess it up again.

He slipped into the bathroom and checked over things in there. Sitting next to the shampoo bottle in the shower, Tony had placed a brand new tube of lube. Inside the medicine cabinet, he had stacked a few condoms in case Gibbs felt so inclined. He couldn't believe that he was hoping he didn't want them. Tony's first rule of love, sex and everything in between was to wrap it- but he didn't want Gibbs to. He leaned on the edge of the sink as he thought about that. He had never let, none the less wanted, another man to take him bare. Then again, Gibbs wasn't just any other man.

Tony swallowed back his emotions. He had felt more wanted by Gibbs than he had ever felt wanted by anyone this morning. He knew that he had been in love with Gibbs for a while. He knew that Gibbs cared about him deeply, and that he was definitely in this sexually, all the way. He didn't know what Gibbs wanted out of the relationship though. Was this going to be one of those, _"Let's just see how it goes"_ kinda things? Or did he want what Tony wanted? Did he want them to be... together? It definitely felt like it this morning.

He opened his phone and re-read the four word text. "Wish you were here." he whispered to himself. But why? Was he just horny again? Not that Tony would mind. He would definitely stay in this for the sex for a while longer even if he found out that it was all that was possible on Gibbs' end. Tony knew that if they quit now, he wouldn't be able to work with the older man, having never gotten all of the pent up sexual desire out.

Or did Gibbs want him there for another reason? Did he need his political savvy? Did he need his backwards insight? More coffee? Or was the op really that bad that he wanted Tony around for the feeling that had, at some point, extended beyond the basement to the job? The feeling that they had one another's back, no matter what, had somehow managed to extend to all areas of their lives. He knew it was wishful thinking in many ways, but he felt it in his gut that it was that support Gibbs was talking about. He turned and left the bathroom, not even looking at himself in the mirror once. He had to get to work- Gibbs needed him.

* * *

Gibbs came out of MTAC at close to seven, head pounding and heart-heavy, which he had long ago come to feel and express as fury. Vance took one look at him as he passed by to leave and knew that he was going to be a royal bastard for a good long time. The op was as over as it was going to be for the night, and it didn't end well at all.

Gibbs leaned against the wall for a moment outside of the door and ran his hands over his face. He couldn't believe that had just happened. He hadn't expected it, and now he would never forget it. Of all of the backup plans that he and Leon had gone through, they hadn't considered that one at all. He had no idea what to do about either. His mind was a blank.

Connelly. The senseless fool was _actually_ _bought out_ by the cell. It was all a set up. Gibbs now owed Malek at least half a dozen other favors. Somehow, he was able to get Jacobs out of harm's way. He didn't know if Connelly was dead yet, but if he wasn't he would be soon. Question was, which side would get him first?

Gibbs had always appreciated dumb perps. He was especially grateful for this stupid criminal's big mouth, which he had run to a man he had seen at the cell's hideout, thinking he was a member. He wasn't though, but instead just someone that they used to get weapons through the gates of the city by hiding them on his children. The man played along until Connelly left, and then got his family the hell out of there. The cell was going to take out the entire market, just as Jacobs showed up with his bomb, and then blame it on the US, using the charred remains of Jacobs' body as evidence.

Malek saw the man packing up a cart with his family and some of their possessions in quite a frightened rush and thinking that Jacobs had been made, asked what was going on. He wouldn't tell Gibbs and Vance how he got the truth out of the man, but after doing whatever it took, he got in touch with Gibbs, and they pulled Jacobs off the mission just before he went to place the bomb.

Malek and Jacobs were caught between getting as many people as they could out of the shops at the market or making a run for it, when they ran out of time to decide. They could hear the explosion from half a mile away, and ducked behind a shack. Gibbs, Vance and all of the other people that were on the feed in various satellite offices around the world could hear it through Jacobs' tablet. Gibbs froze, knowing that it was only the first of what would be the multiple needed to take out the entire market.

Jacobs held his tablet up so that everyone could see the view they were seeing. There was so much smoke, and they could hear the frantic panicking of the entire village. There were screams, yells, wailing, loud cracks of wood and stone falling as the buildings of the market collapsed and shattered on each other, and the second blast, then the third and fourth in almost immediate succession.

"Jacobs! Get Malek and get the hell out of there! Now! I want you on the first thing that moves back here." The tablet spun back around in a nauseating way and you could see Malek's frightened face and then Jacobs', whose stern expression was betrayed by the sweat dripping off of him profusely.

"Yes, sir. Stateside ASAP. Out." The tablet went black as Jacobs turned it off.

"Gibbs." Leon said, getting his attention, while holding his hand up to tell the operators to hold off a second before bringing up the next feed. He stepped in close enough that only Gibbs could hear. "You know how sensitive this is about to get. Tell me now if you feel like you can handle playing the politics needed, otherwise you're dismissed for the night." He didn't say it with condensation or with his typical stern tone he got when angry. It caught Gibbs off guard in such a way that it shocked him into a slightly calmer state.

"I'll play as nicely as I can Director. If the Admiral comes on though, I'm going for a coffee run. Fair warning." Gibbs composure was even stiffer than usual, hands at his sides but out a little from his hips. Vance nodded and then turned back to the control team.

"Bring up the Ambassador."

The next hour and a half was full of clearing the path for Jacobs and Malek to make it back to the states and getting help out to the village. The troops that were being sent to help in the village were under orders to detain Connelly if he was located, but Gibbs took one look into the eyes of the Commander they were exchanging orders with and knew that Connelly didn't have a prayer of that happening. He said he understood with his words, but his eyes didn't even bother hiding the truth of the situation. He was going to make sure his entire team knew to shoot first and ask questions later.

They talked with various other agencies that were aware of the op or were instrumental in some way in setting it up, updating them and conferencing the entire time with SecNav. Gibbs was on his last nerve by the time they turned all of the feeds off. SecNav had been as angry as he and Vance were at least, so he knew that any flack that headed their way would be minor by time it filtered down to his level, SecNav and the Director being buffers. He didn't expect any blame from the official channels, but he knew how "proud" Admiral Connelly was of his son and how he had pulled strings to get him as far up as he could as quickly as he could. Gibbs had no respect for anyone who employed nepotism for a position that put lives on the line. He fully expected the Admiral to place the blame on everyone but his son, and try to deny the open faced truth that his son was a traitor.

Gibbs stared up at the blank screen, trying hard to keep his emotions in check, eager to get out of the room. He hadn't had a moment to think about Tony or their plans tonight for hours now and he still didn't.

"Director? Admiral Connelly has been reached and is ready to be patched through." Vance held up his hand again for a moment's pause before they made the connection.

"Gibbs. Go home. Get some rest. I'll see you in my office in the morning. We'll go over what happens next, when you get here. Jacobs should be getting in by tomorrow afternoon. We'll have to get him briefed and settled. You don't need to be here for this." Gibbs looked from Vance to the door and back, then nodded.

Vance turned and watched Gibbs as he left. Something was different about Gibbs tonight, but he couldn't place it. He didn't have time to think about it though. He nodded to the operators as Gibbs opened the door and the Admiral came up. Gibbs heard his voice and slammed the door behind him.

Now he was up against the wall, letting it all crash down on him. It was always hard when a mission didn't go as planned, after putting so much work into it. It was even harder when innocent people died. Nothing could have prepared him for the idea that Connelly, of all people, would betray his country and sell out to extremists. He had just seemed so intent on pleasing "Daddy", that it didn't seem to even be feasible. Gibbs tried to think of any signs, clues, hints, that Connelly would turn like that. They didn't even know when it had happened. Gibbs wanted the traitor brought in so he could get the answers out of him himself. Whether or not that included the man living for a firing squad was yet to be fantasized about.

Gibbs didn't even realize that he wasn't alone anymore on the balcony until he leaned his head back and smelled Tony's aftershave. Gibbs' eyes snapped open and found that the younger man was leaning back against the balcony railing across from him, arms crossed, legs crossed, sympathetic curiosity on his face, eyes searching Gibbs' for the answer to quench it. He didn't say a word. He just tossed his head towards the elevator at the end of the balcony and Gibbs nodded.

He felt some of the anger drift from his body and moved away from the wall to walk side by side silently with Tony to the lift. Gibbs suddenly felt heavy in his own skin. The anger was falling from him with each step, being replaced by sadness. He thought about all of the people that were lost today. What he had expected to be a hard enough number to deal with was now ten-fold. Despite the fact that he couldn't think of a damn way he could have known about Connelly's intentions, he felt responsible. It was his op. He felt like he should have known.

The doors to the elevator shut behind them and Tony hit the emergency stop. Gibbs just stood still, staring forward. Tony couldn't remember the last time he saw him look so down. Gibbs didn't get sad. Gibbs got furious, got even, got in tight places trying to fix other people's messes, but he didn't get _sad._

Tony moved to stand in the way of the gaze Gibbs was giving the door. Those blue eyes drifted up to Tony's and his shoulders slumped. Tony wanted to say so much but he knew Gibbs wasn't likely to talk yet, if ever. He didn't even think about it as he reached and pulled Gibbs towards him in a tight embrace. A brief moment later, Gibbs' own arms came around Tony and his head fell against Tony's shoulder, the older man's weight leaning against him.

Tony couldn't remember ever feeling anyone place so much trust in him. The fact that Gibbs trusted him as an agent, was big. The fact that he trusted him as a friend was huge. Gibbs didn't let too many people in, but he trusted Tony and had for years. This moment though, was Gibbs sharing a vulnerability with Tony that he was positive he hasn't shared with anyone since Shannon.

Tony didn't move much, but he did let his thumb gently and slowly caress the small area it could cover on Gibbs' back. He didn't say anything. There was nothing to be said. He just held Gibbs close to him, leaning his head sideways a little, so that it touched Gibbs' head as it rested against his shoulder.

They had been standing like that for over five minutes and Tony would have gladly stayed there all night, just holding the man he loved, breathing him in. Gibbs was exhausted though and tomorrow was Monday, so they would have to be back here bright and early. They had to go. Gibbs squeezed Tony a little tighter. "I'm glad you're here." he said in a hoarse whisper.

Tony couldn't help the sad smile that fell over his face. "Me too, Jethro." Tony felt Gibbs relax a little in his arms and nuzzle his neck before finally standing up.

"We should get home." Gibbs prompted. He looked at Tony who was trying desperately not to take those words to heart. "We" and "home" were overwhelming in the same sentence. For once, it wasn't the type of overwhelming that made Tony want to run for the hills. It was overwhelming in the opposite way. Tony had wanted to hear those words with their fullest meaning, coming from that voice, for a long time. He was trying to tell himself that Gibbs didn't mean it like that. He was just tired and wanted them both to go back to his house. That's all. He nodded and reached forward to hit the button, keeping his emotions as incognito as possible, employing as many undercover techniques as he could think of.

He was doing pretty well for about thirty seconds. Before the doors opened in the garage though, he turned to Gibbs and without thinking, reached out to squeeze his hand. Gibbs squeezed back, eyes squinting hard at Tony, looking for an answer he seemed convinced he could find if he looked hard enough. Tony tried to smile a little but failed. There was just so much seriousness in the moment that he couldn't. He nodded a little at Gibbs as the doors opened to let him know he'd tell him eventually, and then let go of his hand.

They walked towards Tony's car, one of the mere dozen left in the lot. Getting in, Tony buckled up and after hearing Gibbs' belt click, turned to watch him lay his head back and close his eyes. The corner of his mouth went up involuntarily, smiling sadly. _It must have been a bad one_ , he thought. He turned the key over in the ignition and backed out of the spot.

The drive back to Gibbs' house was mainly spent in silence. Gibbs spoke first, surprising Tony and startling him out of his thoughts. "Not that I'm not glad, but why _were_ you there, Tony?" he said softly, head still back on the seat but turned towards the younger man to watch his expression for any half-truths or hidden meanings.

Tony turned his eyes from the road for a moment to look back, his mouth open a little as he thought about the words that were about to come out of it and reconsidered. He considered how to answer for a moment to himself before swallowing hard and deciding the truth was not only the best way to go, but at this point, the only way to go

"Well, I missed you. Then, I got your text. I thought about it, and I wondered why wasn't I there? I may not have been part of the op, but I could be close so that when it was over, I was there. Didn't quite expect things to be so... intense, but I'm definitely glad I came." He looked over at Gibbs as he said the last part softly.

The blue eyes there burned into his own and made him hyper-aware of the warmth that was spreading through his body. It had begun with the embarrassment of admitting something so emotional to Gibbs, and then the look that Gibbs gave him aroused him in a way he couldn't remember ever feeling before. It wasn't just because those incredible blue eyes were trained on him, but it was what he saw in them. He had never had anyone look at him that way. There was adoration, trust, passion, and Tony wasn't sure, but he thought there was love there. _Love._ He felt his breathing speed up and he stepped on the gas a little harder.

Gibbs looked over at his lover, watching his expression give away everything he was thinking. He hadn't felt so open with anyone for a long time. The last time he could remember needing someone this badly, not just physically, but emotionally, was Shannon. He tried to figure out how Tony had made his way in. It took years of breaking down his carefully constructed walls, brick by brick, but Tony had somehow managed to get through.

He saw Tony's muscles twitching in his neck and jaw, his mouth clamped tightly. He almost smiled to himself. Tony DiNozzo, the chatterbox, was keeping his thoughts to himself at the one time Gibbs wished he would say something. He was afraid that if Tony didn't keep talking, he was going to open his own mouth and say something that could scare him off. He knew how Tony felt about commitment, but he needed to know whether or not they were on the same page.

He opened his mouth to speak, but didn't know what to say. He and Shannon never had to have a talk like this one. All of the three exes dictated the commitment part of their relationships. He hadn't really minded. He was a jealous man and knew that his actions had frequently displayed a possession that to women equaled a deep commitment. He didn't do the "just dating" thing so well.

He felt a weird nervous feeling come over him that he wasn't used to. Tony did the "just dating" thing really well, but that look he had on his face told Gibbs that he was caught in a place well beyond "dating". Hadn't the younger man just told Gibbs that he had missed him? They had only been apart, what? Four hours? Five?

They pulled into Gibbs' driveway and Gibbs looked up, wondering where his car was before he remembered. "Shit. We were going to go get my car." he said, head falling back against the seat again, exhausted in every part of him.

"I called Eric over at O'Malley's. He doesn't mind it sitting in his lot again tonight. Said it's not the first time he's, and I quote, "babysat a cop's car". Gibbs groaned at the expression but couldn't help lighten up on the deep frown he had worn the entire night.

"Thanks, Tony. For everything." His focus was again on the man next to him who turned with his half smile to stare back. Tony's head leaned back against his own seat and waited. He knew Gibbs had something on his mind and he knew he was close to asking whatever it was he wanted to ask. Tony had a million questions himself, both about the op and their relationship, but he was going to keep his mouth shut for once and let Gibbs use his.

"Are you staying?" Gibbs asked, finally. His tone was sad and quiet. Tony felt a pleading undertone to it, and knew well the double meaning he saw written all over the older man's face.

"For as long as you want me to." he answered just as quietly and reached out for Jethro's hand. He found it and felt Gibbs move so their fingers intertwined. Gibbs sighed and closed his eyes, his head nodding just a little before swallowing hard. When he opened them again, Tony leaned forward a little, and tilted his head to the side, looking deeply into Gibbs' ocean eyes before they dropped closed and met his lips for a kiss that quickly turned desperate. Gibbs tried to claim Tony with his lips and Tony tried to let Gibbs know that he wasn't going anywhere with his tongue. They leaned as closely into each other as they could get, hands moving to one another's necks and running through each other's hair.

Tony could never remember wanting somebody so much. He was on fire from head to toe, desperate to use his body to show Jethro exactly what he was feeling, to be as close to him as humanly possible. He finally pulled back, gasping a little for air and taking in Gibbs' face. His eyes were closed and his mouth hung open just a little, panting. "We should get inside. The windows are fogging up."

Gibbs nodded and opened his eyes. "Yeah. The neighbors will probably all be running their mouths tomorrow. Lady next door needs a hobby." Tony laughed and got out of the car.

Gibbs got out and looked up to see the curtains of the second floor window next door moving. Tony saw too.

"Called it, Jethro." Gibbs smirked. He followed Tony to the door of the house and flipped the light on inside before turning around and actually locking it. Tony heard the clink of the deadbolt and turned, watching Gibbs with confused interest.

"Did you really just..?" he started asking but was stopped by Gibbs mouth on his as he found himself thrust against the hallway wall.

The passion was raw and both men felt liked they had been set on fire. Tony began tearing at Gibbs' jacket and in just a moment had it at their feet. Gibbs right hand was fumbling with Tony's jacket and his left hand was behind his head, pulling hard on his hair as his lips assaulted Tony's. Tony tried shrugging off his jacket and only got it halfway because of how hard he was pressed against the wall. He frantically began un-tucking Gibbs' rough polo and soft tee out of his pants, needing to make contact with his skin. His fingers got the first taste of flesh as it came out of his pants at his hips and they dug into Gibbs' side, nails marking the man, causing him to gasp against Tony's mouth. Tony leaned forward to recapture the lips that had suddenly left him, not wanting to be without them against him ever again.

Gibbs' shirts were lifted up and finally, after a moment's fumbling, off, over his silver hair. Tony's jacket was thrust across the room as Gibbs started yanking at it. Tony was already slipping his buttons open and before he got to the bottom, Gibbs hands were against Tony's bare chest, ready to push the shirt the rest of the way off. His fingers studied Tony's chest and stomach as their mouths groaned into one another, kissing, sucking and nibbling mercilessly.

Tony's hands found themselves in the edge of Jethro's pants and he pulled him against him hard, their cocks meeting with a second and third thrust. Gibbs took Tony by his belt and pulled him away from the wall. He had no hesitations but just pulled him quickly towards the steps. Once in the bedroom, the belt opened and Tony's jeans fell immediately, revealing his lack of underwear. Gibbs groaned for a moment and Tony's hands moved assuredly as he finished disrobing Gibbs, freeing his throbbing cock to spring back up with a bounce.

Rough hands moved to Tony's waist and pulled him in for another scorching kiss, this time fueled by the lengths of their bodies up against one another. Moving backwards towards the bathroom, Gibbs led Tony to the shower. Tony never broke the kiss as he reached out to flip the light switch. A moment later he also reached for the knobs of the shower, turning the water on at what he hoped was a decent temp.

Gibbs' mouth descended on Tony's neck, kissing, licking and finally biting. Tony threw his head back and with his eyes shooting open in the wonderfully surprising sensation, he saw their reflection in the mirror. It was incredibly hot watching Gibbs go at him so heavily. He moaned loudly and then watched as his own fingers ran down Gibbs back, leaving bright pink etch marks from his nails.

Watching Gibbs' head snap back at the motion from both the front and back was too much. He backed himself over the edge of the tub and pulled Gibbs in with him, directly under the water. It was scorching but it was still a relief from the heat his body was wrought with. Gibbs hands moved all over his back, chest and hips, and Tony was sure that he was leaving burns or welts.

Tony arched into his lover and whimpered. Their members brushed and the friction threatened to fray his every sense. Gibbs growled deeply in his chest and then turned Tony around, pressing his body against the blessedly cold tiles. Tony moaned shamelessly as Gibbs pressed his entire body against his from behind, arms coming up so that his hands were on both sides of Tony's body, not letting him move.

He spoke into Tony's ear, voice rough with passion and emotion. "I want this so much Tony, I want you. But I need for you to know, if we do this, you're mine, _ONLY_ mine, from now on."

Tony's head leaned back so that it was next to Gibbs' leaning against his cheek. His voice came out with a whispering whimper. "Oh, God yes, Jethro. Just yours." Gibbs felt every bit of hesitation leave his body.

Tony felt Gibbs' arms around his waist and turned to capture his lover's lips in his for a moment before they continued. He meant it. He only wanted Jethro, no one else. He let the kiss convey that and once they pulled part, he let his gaze fall on the bottle of lube next to the shampoo. Gibbs looked up and smiled at the tube.

A moment later, Tony's body was back against the wall, one of Gibb's arms across his upper back to keep him there. Tony could hear the cap of the lube pop open and then a rather long squirt being emptied from it. He was throbbing. He wanted to come right there against the wall, just from the _thought_ of what Gibbs was about to do to him.

He breathed as deeply as he could, trying to get himself under control before they went any further. He didn't get more than two breaths in before he felt a very lubed finger enter him with no warning. It made him gasp with both pain and pleasure. Gibbs had only put it in up to his middle knuckle but Tony was surprised it had gone in so easily with how long it had been since he'd received any backdoor attention.

Gibbs wiggled the finger just enough to cause trembles of pleasure to go through Tony, and then the rest of the finger slid in. Gibbs was on the verge of losing it. He hadn't had such a hard time controlling himself since his teenage years. He wanted to be inside Tony so badly, but he didn't want to hurt him. He slipped a second finger into him and tried desperately not to release his load right then. Tony bucked back against his digits and Gibbs pushed him back against the tiles with renewed force which only made Tony moan with pleasure. Gibbs' eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body fell against the younger man's damp and glistening back.

"Tony, do you have any idea what you're doing to me? How you make me... just want to take all self-control, and just... " Gibbs face was against his neck and he was breathing in the man through the steam.

"Do it. Jethro, God, please... just... fuck control. This is no time for control." Gibbs bit down hard on Tony's neck making him half yelp, half moan. "Please. Just... let go."

Gibbs couldn't take the begging anymore. He pulled the fingers from Tony's tight hole and decided some more lube was in order.

Tony didn't realize until Gibbs' hard member was sliding against his crack that Gibbs hadn't even paused to consider a condom. Tony's body thrummed with anticipation of the feeling of being filled with Gibbs' swollen cock. There would be no barriers; they would be as close as two people could get. He needed that connection more than the sexual release he was beyond aching for. He needed Gibbs to know that he trusted him enough to let him bring the walls the rest of the way down and to just let him lose control. He was desperate for Gibbs to trust him enough to lose that control with him.

Gibbs took his freshly lubed cock and buried the head into Tony, pushing past the tight ring and pausing to give both he and Tony a chance to breathe. As soon as he knew Tony was accustomed to his girth, and that he wasn't going to come as soon as he moved, he began to deepen the thrust. In just a minute of thrusting, Tony was loose enough to handle it. Gibbs let go and with both hands against Tony's shoulders, pressing him against the wall, he stopped thinking and just took what he needed.

Tony had felt the initial sting of being entered but after that, was lost in the euphoria of feeling Gibbs inside of him. He put his arm between his head and the wall, cushioning his forehead from the blows it was beginning to take from Gibbs' powerful thrusting. Tony moaned and panted loudly, in ecstasy. Gibbs knew just where to hit each time, and Tony felt the world going fuzzy at the edges of his mind. He wasn't going to last long at all. He tried to hold on so that he would be conscious during Gibbs' release but he was afraid he was about to lose it.

"Please! Jethro! Don't- make me- wait!" he begged, interrupted by the quick thrusts that pushed him into the wall.

Tony's voice, pleading so desperately, broke the last link to the chain holding Gibbs back. He fucked Tony as fast as he could and as hard as he could for about twenty seconds before he let out a yell loud enough to satisfy his nosey neighbor's curiosity, and came deep in Tony's ass.

Tony came as soon as he felt that first hot jet unload into him. He trembled and shook, mouth open wide but no noise able to escape. He felt like the ground was going to reach up and pull him down, but Gibbs' arms somehow maintained the strength to hold him up while collapsing against him at the same time. They both felt like jello as they rode it out.

A couple of minutes later, the water began to turn lukewarm. Tony tingled from head to toe, and when he tried to open his eyes it was like seeing fireworks. Gibbs began to regain his strength and stood a little straighter, but continued holding Tony close to him, nuzzling his neck and placing gentle kisses on his shoulders where there was already bruising appearing from his hands.

Gibbs backed them under the water and washed them off quickly. By time he turned the knobs, the water had gotten fairly chilly and both of them with it. Tony was able to support himself on his feet again and took the towel that Gibbs offered. He wrapped it around himself, trying not to let his teeth chatter as the shower curtain was pulled back. He pressed into Gibbs immediately for warmth. Gibbs kissed the top of his head and then stepped out, motioning with a nod to get out too.

Once Tony had braved the cold, Gibbs took another towel from the open closet door and began drying Tony off. It was a tender gesture, but brisk as he wanted to keep Tony from catching a cold in the March chill. He would always be afraid of Tony's lungs failing him since the plague. After drying off a little himself, he pulled Tony against him and wrapped the second towel around him. He smiled into Tony's serene eyes and the leaned in to kiss him gently. It wasn't a sexually charged kiss. It was the kind of kiss that tells the one receiving it that many more were to follow, but not at the moment.

Tony got the message loud and clear. He sighed and looked back at his boss, his friend, his lover. "You know Gibbs, there are showers at work, too..." he said playfully, shaking his head in a bobble of a nod. "I'm pretty sure we cou..." Gibbs smiled and shook his head as his hand came up to cuff the back of Tony's head. After smacking it though, it returned to pull him in for a kiss. Tony smiled and kissed him back.

"Let's get in bed. I think… being under a blanket with you is just what I need right now." Tony's eyebrows went up but he wasted no time. He took Gibbs by the hand and pulled him out of the bathroom, flicking the switch off as he went. He climbed in on Gibbs' side of the bed and pulled him in with him, scooting over to make room. As soon as Gibbs had slid in, Tony noticed his bewildered expression.

"Clean sheets?" Gibbs asked, still perplexed.

"Yup. Mine." Tony said with a smirk and then realizing Gibbs' expression was still bewildered, he panicked. Too much? Too personal? Too soon? Too pushy?

Gibbs felt Tony's body tense against his. He turned to the younger man quickly. He didn't know what caused Tony to tighten up so quickly and he searched his face for the reason. An insecure panic was written all over it. "What's wrong, Tony?"

"You look a little freaked about the sheets." he admitted.

"Not at all. Just wondering if I would ever have the heart to get sheets this nice as dirty as I want to." Gibbs said, smiling down at Tony who immediately relaxed, rolled his eyes and then laid his head on Gibbs shoulder.

"Oh, trust me. We will, and we'll love it." Tony replied.

"Oh, I know we will." Gibbs said, getting a far off look in his eyes as he started a fantasy about it all.

"Come on now! I need some time to recoup! Don't go there." Tony said, shutting down the fantasy. Gibbs shook his head but when he opened his eyes, the fantasy was still there. Tony was laying in his bed, in his arms, head on his chest. It was a moment so perfect that no fantasy could ever live up to it.


	4. Chapter 4

Tony thought he was dreaming. He woke up and felt warm, safe arms around him, holding him close. His own arms were around the solid form next to him, holding it protectively. He felt incredible. He breathed deeply, trying to inhale the moment and smelled the familiar scent of sawdust that always reminded him of Gibbs. He felt the smile creep across his lips and then the fog began to lift. He wasn't dreaming. He really was in Gibbs' arms, and Gibbs was in his.

His eyes cracked open a little to look at the sleeping man against him. Gibbs' head was on the pillow across from him. He looked peaceful and relaxed. Tony wasn't used to associating those words with Gibbs, but he knew he would from that moment on. Gibbs was the only person in the world to ever make _him_ feel this peaceful and relaxed. He wondered if he wore it as well as Gibbs did. The older man looked like had had taken a decade off of him, and there was a slight curve to his lips that made it look like he was smiling in his sleep.

Tony saw Gibbs' eyes moving under their closed lids and wondered what he was dreaming about. He knew it wasn't about the op- he looked too happy. He didn't have a raging hard-on, so it wasn't about last night. Tony tried to tuck his own memories of the night before away for another time so he could just take in the moment. The sex had been incredible, but so was this. He had wanted this, needed this. It was exactly what his life was missing; what it needed to fill the void.

He always wondered what it would be like to wake up next to somebody after a second night together, and not want to get up, not want to run away. It had even taken him a while to get used to the mornings after with Wendy, panicking many times, feeling that maybe he wasn't doing the right thing after all. He knew immediately though that he would never want to run away from Jethro.

The night before crept back into his head, but it wasn't so much the sex as what Gibbs said to him in the shower. _"I want this so much Tony, I want you. But I need for you to know, if we do this, you're mine,_ ONLY _mine, from now on."_

A blissful tingle went up Tony's spine, making him tremble with the chills. He exhaled and even his breath shook. He knew he had a dopey smile on his face, and it only grew wider as he realized he didn't have to be embarrassed by it. He felt completely honest with himself for the first time in his life. He didn't have to hide what he was feeling, pretend it didn't exist, wish it away, regret anything, deny anything, or worry that he was caught in someone's mind game.

He was with Jethro, in bed, holding him close and was in turn being held closely and possessively by him. Leroy Jethro Gibbs- the man that didn't do anything he didn't want to do, was holding him, which meant he wanted to, which meant Tony was wanted. Tony's arms tightened around his lover a little tighter, and he felt the motion reciprocated.

Gibbs' arms were tightening around Tony, and he was moving closer to the younger man, burying his face into Tony's chest. Tony smiled down at Gibbs' affection with surprise. He raised his eyebrows to himself and then shook it off, sighing deeply and accepting the embrace gladly. Tony's hand reached up to trail his fingers through Gibbs' short hair over and over again in slow, tender movements. He admired its shine and thought about how well the silver went with the electric blue eyes that usually told Tony everything that Gibbs was feeling.

Everybody had warned Tony, when he started with NCIS, that Gibbs was unreadable unless he was angry, and then _everybody_ knew. He didn't find that true at all. He had found Gibbs pretty much completely readable. The difference between everyone else in the agency and Tony, was that Tony wasn't afraid to look the man in the eyes. Those eyes gave away everything. Tony _couldn't_ not look into those gorgeous blue eyes. Over the years, he had begun to wonder if he would one day drown in them, giving away what he had been feeling.

Tony let his chin fall to the top of Gibbs' head and just breathed him in. He figured he probably wouldn't have the chance to hold the man this close again for a day or two, not expecting to spend the night with him three nights running. He didn't want to suffocate Gibbs or get used to the change in their relationship too quickly. He wanted to savor , enjoy it, let it sizzle and pop.

He laid there with Gibbs for another fifteen minutes or so until he could smell the coffee start wafting up from downstairs. _Gibbs figured out how to set the timer on a coffee maker? I'm impressed!_ Tony thought. _Full of surprises. Hmm. That's a surprise in and of itself._

Jethro must have smelled the coffee and began to really wake. He nuzzled deeper into Tony, obviously not wanting to get up. It was endearing and completely unexpected. He had seen his boss in the mornings, stuck sharing hotel rooms when they had to travel. Gibbs usually rolled over, beat the crap out of the alarm clock and then hopped out of bed pretty much immediately. Today was nothing like that.

Tony realized that Gibbs must wake up to the smell of coffee every day. He didn't have an alarm set. He tried not to chuckle at the thought. His thoughts were interrupted by Gibbs as he shifted to be more face to face with Tony instead of face to chest. His sleepy eyes watched the shining, happy green ones that stared back and a smile crossed his face.

"Sleep well?" Gibbs asked before yawning loudly.

Tony smirked. "Incredibly. You?"

Gibbs finally finished his yawn and nodded, droopy happy eyes opening again to find Tony's. "Oh yeah. Wish we didn't have to get up."

Tony shook his head and his smile reached Cheshire proportions. "Well, you know, if we don't, Eric will have to "babysit" your car again for you all day." Gibbs groaned and let his head fall back, but arched the rest of his body forward so that it made as much contact with Tony as possible. Tony pulled him closer at the same time, knowing that Gibbs was trying to get revenge for his comment using his body. He wasn't expecting Tony's strength as he found himself pressed firmly against his younger, muscular form. His groan told Tony exactly how much he was wanted and Tony's confidence doubled.

"That should teach you to not use your sexual wiles as revenge for non-sexual comments," he said clearly with humor and lust, feeling Jethro getting hard against him. He let himself enjoy the arousal that was taking over his body as well. Jethro squirmed against him, at first trying to get out of the grasp Tony had around his waist and ass. Then the squirming became more of a grinding thrust and he and Tony both moaned into the friction of it. Their mouths found each other and without words they decided that the car could wait.

Tony had Gibbs by the ass now, a palm over each cheek, pulling him up against him over and over again as Gibbs thrust desperately. Their hard cocks rubbed against one another in a breathtaking stroke that made them both pant into each other's mouths as they attempted to kiss. Their thrusting made that a little hard to do though and soon, they were giving up on kisses and Gibbs was groaning while Tony was moaning. Their pre-cum began to make a slick mess between them, intensifying the pleasure.

"Shit, Jethro. I'm gonna come." Tony gasped into his lover's shoulder before tensing hard and grasping Gibbs tightly to him as he came. Gibbs felt Tony's nails dig into his back and the sensation pushed him over the edge as well. He arched into Tony and shook, coming all over their stomachs.

They lay against one another, clinging to each other desperately as they came down from their orgasms. Gibbs pulled Tony's face down to his, kissing him gently over and over again. Tony kissed him back in the soft and succulent way that only came after great sex with someone you actually cared about. It made Tony want to stay right there, sticky mess and all, for the rest of the day. He made it his mission to one day talk Gibbs into doing just that, playing hooky from work. One day, someday, but he knew today wasn't that day.

The kisses slowed and Tony laid his forehead against Gibbs'. "Guess we need to hurry now. My boss gets violent with me if I'm late."

Gibbs chuckled. "I'm pretty sure mine would be happy if I didn't come in at all." he joked.

Tony's eyebrows went up. "Are you reading my mind Jethro? Because I mean... that's just uncanny."

Gibbs smirked and then gave Tony one last kiss before rolling over to get out of bed. Tony propped himself on one arm to watch his lover for a minute as he stretched. Gibbs turned to look back at the bed and froze.

"I don't know what it is about you, but when you look like that, all... messed up... I just..." Gibbs groaned and tossed his head back as he headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Tony sat there in an almost shy surprise. He knew that first night together, Gibbs had gotten seriously aroused by the idea that Tony was covered in his cum, but he kind of figured it was a situational experience. Apparently not.

He got out of the bed in a sort of daze. He picked up his duffle from the floor and headed down the hall to the guest bathroom. He showered in a rush, trying hard not to think about what he was washing off and get into the frame of mind to be heading to work.

It was going to be interesting working with Gibbs after they had been together like this. Tony wondered again about how Gibbs wanted to handle what was going on between them and work. He knew that everything they did would have to be kept completely out of their professional lives if they wanted to keep the Director from finding out. He honestly was more worried about their team finding out. He imagined all of their possible reactions, and wasn't sure he liked the odds of some of them. He kind of liked the idea of the relationship being his and Gibbs' own personal secret. It almost felt like a thrill on top of all of the other great things about them finally giving into one another.

Tony dried off and got dressed. Gibbs opened the door as Tony was putting his clothes on, already fully dressed himself. "Hey, you want some coffee?" he asked, trying obviously not to ogle his lover. Tony knew he was getting back into boss mode.

"Yeah, sure. Sugar? Milk?" Tony responded, trying not to notice how the blue shirt Gibbs was wearing brought out his eyes.

"Okay." Gibbs said and left the door open as he walked away. Tony looked into the mirror and played with his hair. He got it just right and gathered up his stuff in his duffle. He turned off the light and moved into the hallway. His attention was caught by light coming out from under a door he had always assumed was a closet. It wasn't electric light, but obvious sunlight. He froze as the realization hit him. That wasn't a closet; it was probably Kelly's old room.

The joy of the morning suddenly meant so much more. He knew why he and Gibbs worked so well together in his head all these years was because they both had their baggage. He wondered whether or not his fantasies about them handling it together were anywhere near what reality would eventually prove to be. He hoped it did, because he really wanted more mornings like this one. He realized that he was really willing to put in the effort this time. He just hoped Gibbs was.

Gibbs stood in the kitchen, trying to focus on the day ahead, but found it hard as he spooned sugar into a mug of coffee. It was a regular mug, while his was a to-go cup. He figured if Tony showed up with one of his cups, they might have some explaining to do. He wasn't ready to give even the slightest clue to his team about what was going on. He hadn't even really talked to Tony about what was going on yet, so he sure as hell wasn't going to talk to them.

He stirred the coffee that he had just splashed some milk into, then looked at it as it swirled into a different color. He thought about it and shrugged. If Tony wanted it lighter, he would have to add it himself. Gibbs had no idea how much to put in. He put the jug back in the fridge and leaned against the counter to drink his own brew deeply. The lid wasn't on yet, since Gibbs expected to have to refill it before he left.

He had a feeling that he hadn't had in a while. The house wasn't silent, he wasn't alone. He smiled contently and closed his eyes, listening to the sound of Tony moving around upstairs. His thoughts ran together. Tony was in his house, getting dressed, after a shower that he had to take because they had just humped like rabbits, after waking up together, holding each other close, lov... lovingly? Gibbs considered the thought. He waited for the feelings he had felt before, the other times he had thought he was in love. There was always guilt, shame, resignation, as if he were settling. He didn't feel that when he thought about Tony.

He had surprised himself last night while they were in the shower. He knew that if he took Tony like that, he wasn't going to be able to let him go. He knew that if he had Tony in that moment, he was not going to be able to control himself, and to really let go like he did required a trust that he hadn't felt since Shannon. Tony had been earning his trust for years. Last night was the completion of that. He trusted him entirely.

He had told Tony that if he was going to turn that control over, then Tony had to stay, and he wouldn't share him. Gibbs leaned his head against the side of the fridge and closed his eyes, his mouth open just a little as he thought about Tony's response. Tony wanted him, just him. He begged Gibbs to let that control loose and reveled in it with him when he did. He knew then that something was happening to him that couldn't be undone.

When he woke up this morning to the beat of Tony's heart in his ear, his head pressed against the muscular chest of his lover, he knew he was falling for him. He hadn't ever let his ex-wives hold him like that. He had never wanted them to. Shannon was the only one he had felt close enough to, to be held. His experiences with men had never been really... romantic. Sexual, flirty, hot, but never romantic. He wondered when things started with Tony if he would be able to keep himself from falling, but now that he was taking the trip into that descent, he was going to enjoy it. All in, right? Now, how to not mess it up?

Gibbs' thoughts were interrupted by Tony's entrance to the kitchen. He opened his eyes immediately and smiled brightly at his lover. Tony headed directly for him, relaxed strength in his stride, seeming just as happy. Gibbs caught the spark in Tony's green eyes as they focused on his own. Tony rested one hand on each side of Gibbs' waist and kissed him deeply. Gibbs mouth welcomed the attack, sparring with his own tongue until neither could breathe, and pulled apart.

"Had to, yanno, clear the air before we went into work." Tony said, then let go and turned to his coffee. He picked up the mug and leaned back against the counter, sipping the hot liquid until he could tolerate a large gulp. Gibbs just stared back in pleasant surprise. He really could get used to this.

Tony drank down half of his mug in the next couple of minutes and then sat it down, expression turning serious. "So. I guess you'll be wrapped up with whatever happened last night, today." He watched Gibbs for a reaction.

"Yeah. Looks like it." Gibbs felt his happy smile fall. He drank down what was left of his coffee and looked back at Tony's probing stare. Gibbs knew he didn't have to say anything. He nodded a little, dropping his gaze to the floor.

Tony nodded. He knew Gibbs wasn't allowed to talk about it, but he also knew he wasn't ready to anyway. Gibbs turned around to refill his mug. Tony wasn't sure why he did it, but he came up behind Gibbs and wrapped his arms around his waist. Gibbs froze for a second and then let himself lean back into the strong arms that were holding him. He felt supported in Tony's embrace. He sat his coffee down and let his hands take Tony's and hold them in place. He breathed a sigh of relief but he wasn't sure what he was relieved from. He was going to have to go in and deal with the mess, and yet he still wouldn't be able to tell Tony about the operation and what had happened. He felt Tony rest his chin on his shoulder and smiled.

Tony understood. That's why he was relieved. Tony was there, had his back, knew what he was going through and didn't expect Gibbs to tell him the details. Tony was able to be everything Gibbs needed to get through it, without pushing, without knowing, without getting mad at him because he couldn't talk about it. He simply understood. That's something that no one had been willing to do for him in any of his marriages. It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to let someone in, it was that he just couldn't. Tony understood that, and Gibbs knew that he'd be there for him anyway.

"I'm really glad you're here, Tony." Gibbs said so softly Tony could barely hear the words. Tony felt like he could take on the world. He kissed Jethro's neck before resting his head on his shoulder again for a moment.

"For as long as you want me, Jethro." He whispered. Tony could feel Gibbs shoulders change from their hard tension into a soft, relaxed state. It brought the smile back to both of their faces. Gibbs turned around in Tony's arms and his hands moved to his lover's face, bringing it closer for a tender kiss. Tony could see the joy in his eyes, and felt his own relief from that little part of him that kept coming around, telling him that Gibbs would eventually change his mind about them.

They finally backed away from one another, picking their coffees back up. Tony cleared his throat. "So, work? We're going to stay under-cover about our time under the covers I take it?" He watched for Gibbs' reaction and was glad to see the very obvious nod.

"Well, yeah. I don't think it would go over so well if we just started kissing in the bullpen, Tony." He said it with sarcasm and a smile. Tony put his finger to his chin and looked towards the ceiling, pretending to think about that as a fantasy. Gibbs chuckled and Tony felt like he could bubble over. He was so happy to see Gibbs so happy.

"No, really, I'm totally on board. I don't know if I'm ever going to want to have that talk with Tim after all the flack I've given him over the years." Tony said.

"You're worried about telling Tim? I think he's the least of our worries. I don't know which one I'm more worried about finding out, Leon or Abby!" Gibbs said, incredulously. He moved past a wincing Tony and his SFA followed him to the door, picking up his duffle that was waiting there.

"Oh, God. Abby. She's going to be rough, Jethro." Gibbs turned to look at Tony with a look of concern. "I won't say a word, but she has a sixth sense about stuff like this. Seriously. I'm pretty sure it's the voodoo that she do. It's creepy. She knows immediately if I've gotten laid. It's like she's a dog and sniffs out the pheromones." Gibbs shook his head and they headed towards Tony's car. "Maybe she is, yanno? That would explain the collar fetish, anyway." Gibbs lost the battle with his grin and shook his head at Tony as they climbed in on opposite sides of the car.

Tony pulled out of Gibbs' street and decided to just put it out there. "So, we're not going to tell anyone at work until we have a reason or things get to a point where we feel like it's time to let other people in on us?"

"Sounds like that's the plan, but maybe…" Gibbs was lost in thought, looking out the window, eyes squinting as though the thoughts were being laid out in front of him.

Tony looked over with interest at his lover. "Maybe what?" he said as lightheartedly as possible despite the look on Jethro's face.

Gibbs let out a large sigh. "I can be a real dick, Tony. You're going to need _someone_ to talk to when I mess up."

Tony let out a loud, "HA!" as he merged over a lane. "What about you? You're going to need a manual to navigate through my… insecurities and my… well when I'm randomly flirting with people because I'm just a flirt and honestly, at this point, I'm pretty sure that I don't remember how to have a normal conversation with a woman without flirting."

Gibbs laughed. "Tony, your flirting will get under control with each head slap I'll give you, and when people start asking why I head slap you every time you flirt with a woman, you can tell them that you asked me to because you're trying to tone it down at work…and I'll tell them that I've done it to knock some sense into you because you belong to me."

Tony had been laughing until the end. "I do?" he asked, showing those insecurities already, the need to hear those words again and again pulling at him. Gibbs looked at Tony, armed with a sarcastic comment, but bit his tongue when he saw the look on Tony's face.

"I like that." Tony said with a smile. He turned back to the road. "I hope you know... that means you belong to me, too." Tony looked at him again quickly, a sideways grin on his face. Gibbs smiled and turned to look back out the window, trying to hide the explosion of joy on his face.

"Well, I was hoping so," he replied with just a hint of something that Tony thought made him sound sheepish. Tony wondered if maybe he wasn't the only one who felt a little insecure. He would have to make sure to prove there wasn't a reason to be.

Tony pulled into the lot at work and waited in line to pass the guard. "I guess it's time to turn "us" off, huh?" he asked, glumly.

"I don't know if we could ever turn us off completely. I think a lot of what is going on here is based on who we've become to one another over the past decade. We just have to be careful, and watch for signs that we would pick up on if we were on the outside." Gibbs said softly, looking at Tony, trying his best not to let the look display signs of anything more than the relationship they just had a few days ago.

Tony nodded solemnly and then smiled at the new trainee guard that was holding up the line, as he was still getting to know everyone. Gibbs eyed him suspiciously as they handed over their creds.

"Don't mind him. He'll look at you like that the first six months or so. You'll get used to it." Tony joked. The guard gave him an odd look and then looked at Gibbs for a quick moment before turning away. Tony laughed and moved through the line.

Once out of reach of the guard station, Gibbs began again. "My point, Tony, was that we should each decide on one person that we feel like we can trust to be quiet, preferably outside of work, to talk to if we feel the need."

"Okay, sounds fair. But have to agree on each other's person." Tony said, knowing already that Gibbs wanted to be able to talk to Fornell and Tony was not too comfortable with that.

"Fine." Gibbs replied.

"So, am I taking you to get your car after work?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. I should probably go save it from Eric's lot. Would hate to have to start paying my babysitter overtime." He said without any humor to his voice which made it even funnier to Tony.

"Okay, let me know when you're ready. Hopefully you aren't stuck here too late tonight. You barely got any sleep last night as is." Tony made sure to put a seductive tone to the comment and Gibbs' head fell back on the headrest.

"Not fair, Tony." He groaned.

"Okay. I promise, no more. I'll behave." He replied with a chuckle.

"Well, damn Tony, that doesn't sound any better." Gibbs joked and then got out of the car, Tony freezing for a moment before moving to catch up with him.

They climbed into the elevator together to find they were alone.

"Good luck today." Tony said gently, looking over at him. It was an innocent enough statement but Gibbs felt all of the emotion behind it and knew then that it was going to be extremely hard for them to keep this relationship undercover.

"Thanks, Tony." He said with a small smile. Both men let out deep sighs as the elevator approached their floor. That earned sideways looks from one another and they both exited the elevator repressing smiles.

Gibbs stalked to his desk, Tony falling two steps behind with a casual swagger and that Monday morning smirk he got after a weekend of great sex. "Good morning, McGenius. Where's our resident ninjette?" he asked, giving the younger agent a perplexed look. "I'd been looking forward to annoying her this morning."

"Why? Had a good weekend Tony?" Tim asked, with an obvious case of the Mondays.

"Yeahhh!" he said. "Great weekend!"

Gibbs looked up from his booting computer at Tony for a moment and was amazed to find that the man didn't break character once. He never so much as tossed his eyes in Gibbs' direction. Gibbs tried to do the same but his eyes weren't concentrating on his screen. They were watching Tony in his peripheral vision and didn't even know the smile had crept up on him until it was too late. He picked up his phone to listen to his voicemail and try to distract himself. There was only one message though and it didn't take long enough to get him focused.

"I'm not going to have to hear about another gymnast or yoga instructor am I? Where _is_ Ziva when I need her?" McGee asked, looking towards the elevator in exasperation.

Gibbs hung up his phone, finishing with notes from his voicemail. "She's not coming in today. Taking a personal day. You two are on cold cases. I'll be in with the Director and then MTAC." He walked past the two men without a look and headed for the stairs.

Tony made sure to start before Gibbs could get too far to hear. "Honestly Timmy, it was her amazing blue eyes that I'll probably always remember. Fantastic body… surprisingly gifted with it too, may I add, but those eyes… they just send chills through me thinking about them."

Gibbs moved up the stairs, trying hard to keep his pace. He felt the warmth in his face and had to ask himself if he was actually blushing. He hoped not because he was on his way to see Leon and he knew his boss would pick up on it. Vance watched him like a hawk.

Word on the street was that Leon had been torn between NCIS and profiling with the FBI once upon a time. The agency won him over along the way though, so there they were. Now he was stuck with a boss that scrutinized his every move, trying to get into his head. Blushing was not what he needed to give up to the man he had spent almost four years building a mental defense against.

He took a few deep breaths and tried to completely forget about Tony, focusing instead on the memory of last night in MTAC. It wasn't easy, but he managed to feel a little cooler by time he was at the Director's door. He went right on it, as usual, not even being berated by Leon's secretary this time.

Vance was at the conference table, head hanging over one of many folders scattered in a pattern in front of him. Gibbs was thrown a little off guard. The Director looked tired and Gibbs was pretty sure he was in the same suit as the night before. It had been dark in MTAC so he couldn't be certain, but if he had to bet, he'd say Leon hadn't gone home last night.

"Leon." He said quietly, taking a seat next to him. "Long night?" he asked as Vance's head lifted to look at Gibbs with red eyes.

"Be glad you got out when you did, Gibbs. It was a bloodbath." He said and then looked back at the paperwork.

"The Admiral go off?"

"You know it. Took off running about NCIS being nothing but a bunch of washed out cops and idiots that don't know a thing about his son with all of the denial of a grieving father. That, I think we all knew was going to happen. I'd expected it. What I didn't expect was Jarvis tearing into Connelly. It got ugly." Leon looked up at Gibbs with a wicked smile. "I had Evelyn burn a copy for you." Gibbs laughed and looked across the room before looking back at Vance.

"Give her my gratitude." He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. Vance reached forward and grabbed a manila envelope, handing it to Gibbs.

"Consider it delivered." Vance sat back in his chair and watched Gibbs face as he opened the envelope in disbelief. He knew it would be just the ticket to get Gibbs out of his funk about the whole situation. He had run a tight op, and this was the only wild card they hadn't thought of. Leon saw the genuine happiness in Gibbs' smile though and knew that something else was going on. He didn't press it. He wanted to see what was causing it without spooking him.

"Well, thanks Leon. Maybe I'll barrow DiNozzo's DVD player and watch this tonight." he joked, knowing that the Director had been victim of Tony's movie quotes and references plenty of times by now. He sat back and looked at the Director, returning his scrutiny. "So what's the word on Jacobs and Malek? Did they make their flight?" His expression turned serious again.

"Yep. Malek's friends are coming as well. They caught up with them on their way out of town and they will all be in house by 1300 hours. We'll get them debriefed, find out what the safety risks are of sending any of them back to the area and assess the situation from their viewpoints. I've arranged for Jacobs to have a week's leave. I figure he'll want to stay with his folks, but I've got Malek and the ladies set up in a hotel until we can determine what their needs and wants are for living arrangements."

Gibbs nodded his approval. "Fine. So what about phase two? How are we progressing?"

"Our agents, our military coverts and the CIA are all working together and separately, coming up with intel and double checking it. So far, it looks like we have a few solid leads and they are being followed up on. Once they are confirmed, we'll co-ordinate strikes. It will probably take some time though. Days if not weeks." Vance looked at the table full of folders as he spoke.

"Is that what these are then, the reports from the various scouts?" Gibbs asked, reaching to pick up the closest one and getting the nod, began going through it. "It looks like we have a lot of hands in the cookie jar on this one Leon. We going to be able to keep it tight enough?"

"You mean, do you think we should be worrying about another slip up? No. And I'll show you why." Leon reached for the remote for the plasma on the wall behind Gibbs. He turned to look at the screen.

A rough, shaky, homemade looking video came up on the screen. Gibbs recognized Jacobs' and Malek's voices as they ran towards a line of trees.

"Keep going man, come on." Jacobs' said to Malek who could be heard panting hard next to him. Malek wasn't Marine fit, but he wasn't a pudgy man by far. They had to have been running far and fast to put him out of breath like that. "God, I hope there's battery left to this thing." Once clearly in the cover of the trees, the men took shelter behind the biggest rock they could find and squatted low. "I don't know if you're going to be able to see this, but I hope you can. We just…" Jacobs was now looking at the camera, stopping to catch his breath, frantic. Malek was panicking a little next to him but trying to hold it together.

"We just came across Connolly. Call off the search." Jacobs pulled a smart phone out and hit play, sitting it on the ground and then holding the tablet above it, so that it recorded what was recorded on the phone. "I couldn't chance this going out over the networks, so I'm beaming it satellite. After that, I'm turning off my phone and the tablet until we need to again." The video was being shot from afar, the zoom enabled to max only a moment in.

Two men in local garb, with middle eastern skin tones and facial hair, had Connolly tied to the front of a jeep. They were stabbing him in various places on his body with something that looked suspiciously like an icepick and yelling at him in Arabic. Connolly's screams were excruciating to hear even from video to video production, from being recorded that far away. They were more like wailing and Gibbs almost felt sorry for the man. They would say something in Arabic, and Connolly would say something that almost sounded like, I don't know, or I've told you everything I know already, and then the men would begin stabbing again. The process repeated itself over and over again for five agonizing minutes. Vance finally turned it off right as one of the men was about to drive the icepick into Connolly's chest.

"We have to assume that the people we're going after know what we're looking for now. Connolly was raw so we didn't tell him everything, but we told him enough. Our agents have been engaged all day because almost everyone being sat on moved last night in some way. We have to wait for the dust to settle." Gibbs ran his hands over his face and back down.

"This isn't good Leon."

"Tell me about it." He replied.

"Let's get me caught up." Gibbs said, opening another folder and pulling out his glasses, ready to tackle all of the new information

Tony caught Tim staring at him for about the tenth time that morning and decided it was time to deal with it.

"What McCreepy? What is so fascinating? Do I have something on my face? Is my hair sticking up?" he moved to smooth out his hair in alarm at the idea but kept looking at Tim.

McGee sighed and turned away from his computer. "You're acting... weird... today. That's all."

Tony looked at him in curious disbelief. "Uh, weird how? I'm sure you think half of what I do is weird."

"It's just, you seem, I don't know? Happy? Focused? Un-Tony. You gotta admit, you're acting differently today. I mean, you told me about a girl's eyes, Tony. You didn't tell me about how she could bend in four different ways or something crazy she could do with her..." Tim stopped to watch as Vanessa from accounting walked by, giving Tony the eye. Tony saw Tim's gaze and turned to Vanessa, giving her a quick, friendly smile before turning back to Tim. Tim looked from Vanessa and back to Tony in disbelief. Something was definitely different. Tim had heard Tony tell Ziva multiple times about how he wished Vanessa would take him up on his dinner invites. She just gave him the flirtiest look Tim had seen out of the woman ever, and Tony shut it down. McGee moved to his feet and stood next to Tony's desk.

"You tell me about some woman's eyes, you look happier than I've ever seen you, and you just completely ignored the first pass Vanessa has ever made at you. Something is up, Tony." Tony tried not to blanch as he panicked. He was going to have to throw Tim off the scent. Or should he? Maybe he could use it to his advantage.

"I like this one, Tim." he said seriously. "You know, I've been toying with the idea that maybe, just maybe, it's time to try something a little... more serious, and I think she would be a good trial run. I don't know if I could see... well the big C with her, but I think we could keep each other company. You know, for a while. Happily."

Tim looked like he had just seen a ghost. "I knew you were getting a heart, Tony, just didn't think I'd ever see you so... okay with the idea. I'm happy for you."

"I didn't say I wanted happily ever after with her, and I kind of don't want to talk seriously about it, because well, I'm still trying to get comfortable with the whole idea, so... this stays between us?" Tony asked giving his best "bro-talk" look to Tim, knowing the younger man craved any kind of confidence that he gave him.

Tim nodded. "No Ziva." he said and turned to his desk.

"And no Abby!" Tony practically blurted out, knowing that Tim was already thinking about it. He saw Tim tense a little and swallow. Tony knew that was asking a lot of Tim, but he needed to protect his secret.

Tim nodded. "Okay, no Abby." he looked over at Tony with discerning eyes as he sat in his chair. "You really are looking for more, aren't you?" he asked.

Tony nodded, smiling. He thought about Jethro this morning, snuggled into his chest and felt the joy bubbling inside of him. "Yeah, and so far? I'm really liking it." he confided. Tim smiled back and nodded before looking back to his computer. Tony took that to mean that he was satisfied with his answer. He tried to go back to working but the thought of the conversation in the car this morning with Jethro pulled at him.

Who would be his one person he could talk to? Most of his friends, the ones he would prefer to trust, were on his team. He thought about it all morning. He didn't really want to tell his frat buddies. They were just so far disconnected at his point, and this past weekend just made it worse. He didn't have any friends now that knew of his bi-side.

He thought through members of the team. Abby would be overbearing with it, Ziva, despite how close they were, didn't know when to keep her mouth shut, and Ducky would be over analytical. If he could tell anyone, it probably would be Tim. There was a reason Tony pestered him with gay jokes all these years after all. Tony firmly believed that Tim wasn't as straight as they came. He also knew just how discreet the Probie could really be. Jethro would never be comfortable with it though. He did say this morning though that Tim was the least of their worries. Tony sighed in exasperation, and got to his feet. He needed some air.

"I'm going for coffee. You want some?" he asked McGee.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." Tim responded and watched Tony leave, worried about the obvious turmoil he had watched taking place out of the corner of his eye. He felt guilty and responsible, thinking Tony's stressing was caused by his probing at Tony's attempt at a serious relationship. He wanted to kick himself as he turned back to his folders.

Tony got into the elevator and opened up his phone. He hadn't heard the door to MTAC open yet so he figured Gibbs was still in with Vance. He began a text to him.

_Going for coffee. Need some?_

Gibbs phone vibrated in his pocket and Vance watched discretely as Gibbs pulled it out and flipped it open. He struggled with the smile that was trying to sneak its way to his lips. He slowly started to hit the buttons on his phone.

_Wait there for me._

Gibbs got to his feet. "I need some coffee. Be back."

"I take mine with sugar, no cream." Vance said over his shoulder, not asking.

Gibbs opened the door with a shake of his head, letting the smirk cross his face. He made his way to the bullpen for his badge and gun, but stopped to look at Tony's empty desk. Tim spoke up before he could be asked. "He just ran for coffee, Boss." Gibbs nodded at him then moved to the elevator. His phone vibrated as he got into the metal box alone. He opened it to find another text from Tony.

_I'm on the wall._

Gibbs knew what wall he was talking about. There was a large garden in the square with a stone wall around it. Tony could be found there, eating lunch alone when he needed to think. Gibbs had come across him quite a few times there when he went for a coffee or lunch run. He smiled while he had the moment alone to do so, letting the happiness seep into his bones that just the simple idea of seeing Tony was bringing him. This was definitely a good thing, he decided.

The doors opened and he tried to return to his normal stoic self but couldn't. He headed outside and saw Tony sitting on the wall, a cup of coffee in his hands and three more in a carrier next to him. He had already gotten Gibbs a cup and Gibbs knew that if he didn't tone down his smile, he was going to give them away immediately. He headed to the wall and after a small smile exchange, Tony handed him the cup he had gotten him.

"Everything okay up there?" Tony asked nonchalantly.

"No. It's a damned mess." Gibbs relinquished and then drank from his coffee. Tony knew that was as much as he was going to get and was happy to get even that. Gibbs had surprised himself by saying it and shut himself up with the scalding liquid before he could say anything he shouldn't.

Tony nodded in that understanding way that Gibbs found incredible. He had that same feeling wash over him that he got this morning when Tony had put his arms around him. They didn't need to say anything more to be content. Tony handed him another cup of coffee from the carrier. "Sugar only, right?" Gibbs looked at him in confusion. "For Vance?" Tony clarified. The realization hit Gibbs and he nodded. _How did Tony always know,_ he wondered.

"Thanks, Tony." He said softly, making as much eye contact as possible.

"Careful. Staring at me with those eyes, in that shirt, with that look, might make me give away just how badly we're breaking rule twelve." Tony said from behind his coffee before he took a drink, staring right back at Jethro with eyes that could drip with lust. Gibbs smiled and tried to look away, only to find himself drawn back to that stare.

"Couldn't pass up the chance to make every opportunity we got to look at each other count. I'm not the only one playing dirty after all." Tony hadn't even thought about it. His shirt had green pinstripes and he had been told before that it accented his eyes well. His mind drifted back to the bar Saturday and what they had said to each other while waiting for a cab. He got to his feet.

"I guess we should head back in. We're going to be in big trouble if we don't." Tony said, scooping up Tim's coffee.

Gibbs moved in a step closer to Tony and bent to speak in his ear. The closeness sent a chill down Tony's back and he involuntarily closed his eyes before snapping them back open, aware of where they were.

"That's okay. I'll wait until we get home to punish you." he said, voice dripping with the sexual tension both of their bodies were screaming.

"Not fair, Jethro." Tony whispered as Gibbs smirked and then turned to walk away. Tony sat back down on the wall, breathing deeply and trying to think of anything to take his mind off of staring at his boss's ass as he moved towards the building. Tony fought back the hard-on that was beginning to strain his zipper, begging for attention. He thought about cases and his coffee and the mundane way the ants on the ground in front of him marched, and finally he was able to head back into the building.

Once in the elevator, his phone vibrated again. He figured it was Tim asking him if he got lost on the way to get coffee, probably having seen Gibbs come back by with his over five minutes ago now. He moved his finger across the touch pad to put in his code and the screen came to life. It wasn't McGee.

_Your place tonight?_

Tony almost dropped his coffee. The elevator doors swished open and he moved to his desk. He sat his own coffee down and turned to hand Tim his, completely ignoring the younger man's probing stare. He sat back in his seat and typed in his response. This meant war.

_I figured if I was going to be punished, you would want me on your turf. ;)_

Tony sat his phone down, completely expecting it to be hours before he got a response. He thought about Gibbs getting the message in front of Vance at the table and weighed the options of the result he'd get. Every possibility flew out of his head though when the phone vibrated on his desk again after only a minute or two.

_Nope. Want you to remember it every time you get under your covers when I can't be there._

Tony smiled like a fool and felt his face going warm. Gibbs was good. He had to give him props. He was not only driving him crazy, but doing it via text message. He was about to try to find a response to it when he heard Gibbs voice, sternly bark. "DiNozzo. Get back to work. I want updates on what you both found out about those files on my desk before you leave tonight." Gibbs said, heading through the bullpen towards the steps from the direction of the bathroom. Tony's mouth opened to say something and Gibbs saw. He backtracked a couple of steps and then reached back to head-slap him.

"Yes, Boss." he said, and closed his phone, taking in Gibbs' expression as he walked away, noting the barely hidden smirk. Tony looked over at Tim whose head was once again buried in the file on his desk, trying to hide his own smile. Tony shook his head and reached for a case file. He could still feel the tingle on the back of his head from where Gibbs' hand had been. He knew that tonight would be interesting, and he couldn't wait.


	5. Chapter 5

Gibbs was trying his hardest to concentrate on the files in front of him after his encounter with Tony and the messages they had exchanged afterwards. He was succeeding, but barely. Vance was exhausted at this point, but Gibbs' distraction didn't get past him. He knew something was going on in Gibbs' head, and he was trying to decipher it without being too obvious. The lack of sleep was starting to take its toll though and Gibbs caught him staring.

"Something on your mind, Leon?" Gibbs asked, knowing that he was picking up on the scent of something, and needing to know just how much he had figured out.

"You're too calm today. After yesterday, I would have expected you to be ready to bite off the heads of every person who came between you and MTAC. You've been almost pleasant. I'm not sure what to think." Vance had learned that if the direct route didn't work with Gibbs, nothing would.

Gibbs smirked. How honest should he be here? Like Tony, he decided some honesty would feed the curiosity enough to keep it at bay.

"I do have a life outside of work Leon. Good things _outside_ of here can sometimes get you past the crap that happens _in_ here." He was already back to reading the folder in front of him, drinking his coffee, telling Vance that the discussion was over on his side. Vance was taken aback a little bit at the idea that of the two of them, Gibbs is the one that found solace outside of the office last night. It was enough to make the wheels turn in his head and keep his thoughts to himself again.

A little after one, the phone rang on Vance's desk. He went to it and Gibbs heard him tell the person on the other line to "See them up." He knew that Jacobs, Malek, Dina and Tali were finally there. He hadn't seen any of them in person for a while. It had been over a year since he had seen Jacobs and many years since he was introduced to the others. He was looking forward to catching up a little, despite the circumstances.

Malek was a joyful but intelligent man with courage and a good heart. Dina and Tali were clever and talented, and in a few ways, reminded him of Ziva. They were easy to underestimate but he had learned better quickly. Jacobs was young, but he was damn good at what he did. He had a good head on his shoulders and Gibbs had liked him pretty much immediately. He had the kind of eyes that you could see straight through, knowing there was no bullshit there, yet he was great undercover. He reminded him a little of Tony that way- honest when it was important but could fit any role required. The thought of Tony made him smile to himself, which he promptly covered with a drink of his coffee.

The doors opened and four exhausted and haggard people came in. Both women were in burkhas, but had no face coverings like they would have worn at home. Whether they had opted not to wear them because they didn't have to here, or if it was because they felt it safer to blend in a little more in the States, he wasn't sure. It was a sad truth though that even here in DC, people were ignorant enough that they didn't understand the difference between long-standing religious tradition and an image they had come to relate to terrorism. He had a feeling their decision was based on a little of both.

Greetings were made and they all spent a little bit of time getting reacquainted. Vance told them about their arrangements and what to expect at the official debriefing on Wednesday. They were informed that further intelligence was being gathered and that after they had all gotten some rest, they would regroup tomorrow to go over every detail of their stories.

Jacobs looked like the weight of the world was being taken from him when Vance told him his father had been contacted and he would be coming to take him home for the evening. Gibbs couldn't help but smile, thinking about his own feelings last night in the elevator, knowing that Tony was there to take him home. Jacobs wouldn't have to deal with everything alone tonight. His father was a Vet and would know just how to be there for his son without being overbearing. Gibbs had met him before, and he had understood immediately how Jacobs had turned out the way he did.

Gibbs and Malek shared some small-talk but he could tell that they all needed rest, food and some time to unwind as soon as possible. Vance called for security to come take the group downstairs with instructions to get them to where they needed to go safely.

"I think I'm going to head home myself." Vance said, sitting in the chair at his desk, tired head propped in his hands for a moment before sitting back up and gathering his things. Gibbs nodded. The Director looked almost as tired as their weary travelers.

"Sounds like a good idea. Give Jackie my best." Gibbs said, getting to his feet. "I think I'll go make sure DiNozzo hasn't glued McGee to anything. See you tomorrow."

Vance wasn't far behind Gibbs and he watched as the older man practically bounced down the stairs from MTAC, looking over the banister at his team. He was a little baffled to see the younger agents actually working on something intently while Gibbs was the one breezing through like a happy-go-lucky school kid. Getting onto the upstairs elevator, he shook his head at what was turning out to be just another oddity of this already very odd day.

Gibbs made it all the way to his desk before he realized just how engrossed Tony and Tim were on their files. "You guys got something?" he asked, curious.

"Eh." Tim said with a shrug, still looking at his file and his monitors.

"Not sure yet." Tony said, also avoiding eye contact. They had gotten lunch and sat at their desks comparing their cold cases. There was something nagging at them about one, but they couldn't figure out what it was.

"What case is it?" Gibbs asked, trying not to get to his feet to look over Tony's shoulder at the file.

"Kenthauser. It's an old one." Tony answered.

"Really old." McGee added, matter-of-factly, still not looking up. He looked confused.

"Pacchi had his hand in this one, it was that old, Boss." Tony said softly, still not looking up but his face had a shadow fall over it at the thought of their fallen agent.

Gibbs felt that twinge in his gut that he always did when it came to Pacchi's death. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty about it. Tony didn't even have to look. He had said it as a warning to Gibbs, knowing how he felt about it all. If something came of this, it was going to bring back a lot of those memories. They were all quiet for a few more minutes.

"Ya know, I think I just need to sleep on this one. It's like, when you can't think of a word and no one else can help you figure out which word it is that you can't think of, but its like," Tony stuck his tongue out but kept talking, "right there, on the tip of your tongue." Tim shook his head but smiled at his goofy co-worker.

"Let me see it." Gibbs said, reaching out for Tony to bring him his folder. Tony eyed his boss' outstretched handed with neutral suspicion but brought him the folder.

"Seems she was drowned when on liberty in a hotel pool. I'll refrain from the comments about how ironic that is, but I reserve the right to make them later when we've solved the case and it's not so tasteless." Tony moved to lean against Tim's desk, back to the younger man, and stared at Gibbs with his arms crossed as he went over the file. McGee was watching him for signs of enlightenment as well.

"Boss, I've cross referenced her case with every drowning case NCIS has had in 15 years. Nothing is raising a flag. Any suggestions?" McGee asked.

"Not yet, but I see what you mean. This definitely has a familiar feel to it. Older, stale feeling. Anyone ask Abby and Ducky yet?" he asked, looking up at the two men in front of him, his eyes specifically not meeting Tony's.

"I sent Abby the case number but she's working on some evidence for Simmons and probably won't get to it until tomorrow morning."

"Ducky should be back from their crime scene by now. Maybe I'll go run it by him." Tony said, wondering if Gibbs was going to give up the case file or if he was going to have to take Tim's. Gibbs was deep in it, flipping through some pages of notes, stopping to read a little and then he stopped to read one passage a second time, his face showing the same expression of confusion that the younger agents had been wearing for a while now. There was something very familiar about the case, but he couldn't place it.

"McGee- try running the words "pool", "drowning", and... "liberty" for me. Those are the ones that keep catching me. But open it up, not just NCIS." Gibbs didn't look up from the file and Tony moved to look over his shoulder, trying hard to keep it in the professional manner but immediately feeling Gibbs' warmth. He re-read the passage that Gibbs kept looking at and knew it was there somewhere, that clue that had him thinking something was off. It pulled at him the same way.

"Boss, we have multiple hits. Is there something I can narrow it down by?" McGee said over his desk while already sifting through the results.

"I'm not sure yet. Just keep looking." Gibbs replied a little softer than usual, his attention on the file.

Tony left Gibbs' side, feeling the chill of losing his warmth already, and moved to stand behind Tim as he rifled through the files for anything familiar. They browsed through the long list of results, and Tony saw something that made him stop Tim's scrolling. "Wait, wait. Bring that one up for me for a second. Not sure, but..."

McGee opened the article and they began looking it over. "That's it." Tony said and looked up to find Gibbs already coming around his desk. McGee put it up on the plasma and they all moved to stand in front of it.

"Liberty Hotel in Boston, Boss. Senator's daughter was drowned in a reflection pool there. It was big news for a while. The hotel tried to claim she had been drinking and fell in while sneaking out for some late night nooky with her boyfriend that daddy didn't like. They were able to get an alibi for the boyfriend off of two different street cameras that put him in Cambridge, actually with a much older woman." Tim shot a picture of her up on the screen and Tony opened his mouth to say something, obviously admiring her physique when Gibbs' hand met the back of his head.

Tony rubbed it, blushing furiously, unsure of where to focus his attention. The woman on the screen didn't seem like a good idea, but he couldn't meet Gibbs' eyes, and Tim was looking at them suspiciously.

"Pre-emptive strike." Gibbs said with a smirk. "Focus DiNozzo. On the case, not the mistress." There was a bit of humor in his voice and Tony shook off the paralysis.

"Right, Boss. So, anyway, kid was innocent- well at least of the murder. They couldn't rule out foul play, but they did find alcohol in her system, so the general consensus was that it was an accident. Her father couldn't let it go though. He resigned from office and his life fell apart. Took it pretty hard."

"He started a group called _Justice for All,"_ Tim joined in. "It started with just a handful of people who believed that justice wasn't served in their cases, in favor of protecting either big businesses, well-known people from the media, like athletes, musicians, et cetera, and even government officials. It's blown into a nation-wide network of people who feel that the average citizen has taken a backseat to those groups of people." McGee was back in front of his computer, looking over the website as he put it up on the screen. He clicked the "About Us" tab and all three men froze.

The page had a memorial picture of the Senator's daughter. She looked like she could have been the younger sister of their victim. There were more similarities than differences. A couple of clicks and Tim had both pictures up on the screen for comparison. He joined the other two men at the plasma again. They exchanged silent looks before Gibbs sighed heavily. "No such thing as coincidences. Start digging."

All three of them moved to their desks. McGee opened an email and shot it to Tony.

_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?_

Tony replied back quickly.

_If you're thinking serial killer, then yeah Probie, I'm thinking what you're thinking. Which just made our week complete, because Gibbs hates serial killers. That means we're liable to get eaten for dinner if we don't break this tonight. Get crackalackin._

Tony shot the email off and then dove right into the search. They were looking for drownings from the past ten years of women in their late teens through mid-twenties, with blonde hair, who were tall, thin, and pretty, with a slightly athletic look going for them.

Tony started with the eastern seaboard and went through everything he could find. Police records, FBI files, NCIS and CGIS cases ran through his head like he was channel surfing. He didn't even realize how long they had been going at it when he saw the cup of coffee appear next to him on the desk.

He hadn't heard Gibbs leave but looked up to find him staring back at him with a warm smile. It was dark in the office, but it had been since a little after five. He looked past Gibbs at McGee, head down on his desk, and by the amount of drool hanging off of his chin, Tony suspected he had been out for a while.

"Any luck?" Gibbs asked, casually leaning back on Tony's desk, crossing his feet and staring back at Tony like he hadn't a care in the world. Tony picked up on the flirty tone right away but other than a smile and eye roll in Tim's direction, he stayed focused.

"I have a few suspicious drownings that meet the physical description, but there just doesn't seem to be a single thing connecting them. I have them separated between those that drowned at home and those who drowned in public places." he said quietly as not to wake Tim. He had Gibbs' undivided attention for the first time since their early morning coffee break and he was going to enjoy it for a minute. "What about you? Have any luck?"

"No, but I have a feeling my luck will be changing soon." he said quietly, staring with those blue eyes he had been using to watch Tony with for half an hour before escaping to get coffee. His eyes wandered down the younger man's body and Tony felt the heat of the gaze.

"We calling it quits for tonight?" Tony asked, waking up to the idea of getting out of there and back to his apartment.

Gibbs nodded, taking one more quick look at him with elevator eyes.

Tony had been in that headspace that shuts the rest of the world out for hours now. It was after 20:00 and Gibbs had found himself just watching Tony, taking in his focused, serious side that Gibbs loved so much. It was just as much a part of Tony as flirting, bad jokes and movie quotes, if not more. The intensity he watched in those green eyes, the dedication to the job, the way that he didn't seem to fade as he searched longer, but instead grew even more fixated and driven, all drew Gibbs' own focus and attention to his lover and SFA.

He felt a connection with Tony when he was like that that he couldn't feel with anyone else. They had shared it for years now, but this time, it had been different. Gibbs was seeing it as just one more thing that could be on their side as they tried to have a relationship together. They both understood the long nights, the working weekends, and, simply the job. Not only understanding that they had to put up with these things, but having the passion for the job to do so willingly, despite the sacrifices it required.

Feeling like that, like forever was finally possible, had made him ache to touch Tony. He wanted to hold him close, to feel as connected physically as he was feeling emotionally all of a sudden. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time. He thought about the depths of what that meant and how strange it was to open the Pandora's Box of emotions he had kept locked all these years. Tony had somehow found the key. He wanted to be able to tell Tony that, but he wasn't so great at talking about feelings. He could show them, though.

He didn't even have to sneak as he got up to leave the office for coffee. Tony was so deep in thought he hadn't even noticed his staring or his exit. It was getting late and Gibbs needed the energy boost. He figured his agents could use it too. He got full-caff for Tony and half-caff for McGee who had been out for an hour after rubbing his temples for an hour before that. Gibbs knew he had a headache but hadn't been complaining, so when he fell asleep, he just let him rest.

Now he was determined to get Tony alone so he could "explain" these emotions to him. He turned to Tim's desk where he had already sat the other cup of coffee. "McGee, drink some of that before you drive home."

McGee sat up, sleep encrusted eyes searching the room to remember where he was, wiping the drool off of his chin. "Oh. OH. Thanks, Boss. We calling it a night?"

"I think you called it a night an hour ago, McGee. We're just making it official," Gibbs quipped. He and Tony left Tim behind in the bullpen to get himself a little closer to living before he drove home. They got in the elevator and made their way silently to Tony's car.

Once inside, in the shadows that the dim light of the parking garage offered them, Gibbs reached over and pulled Tony towards him, kissing him so deeply that Tony thought he was never going to stop. Tony's own need returned the kiss fiercely, and his hands gripped the back of Gibbs' head to pull him closer. Gibbs' hands slid around Tony's waist, pulling him partially over into his seat, making Tony lean further into the kiss.

The sudden sound of a car starting across the garage made them both jump back into their seats like two kids caught making out in the park. They both sat perfectly still until the headlights moved in the other direction, exiting the garage. Once they were obviously in the clear, they glanced towards one another and erupted in quiet chuckles.

"I kinda hope that was McGee. At least he would have been too tired to notice." Tony said returning his gaze to his lover. Gibbs nodded and gazed back, letting his head fall onto the headrest to stare in a way that Tony found not only incredibly sexy but endearing at the same time. "We need to go get your car, Jethro."

Gibbs head tossed back and he looked at the ceiling. "Let's go then." He turned back to Tony abruptly, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "You still okay with me coming over tonight?"

Tony leaned into Gibbs and said in a breathy voice, "If you don't, I'm going to come break down your door." Their eyes met and then their lips as Tony stole a quick, hungry kiss. He pushed off of Jethro's chest with a seductive smile and turned the key in the ignition.

Tony drove more like Gibbs to the bar, pushing it to make it through yellow lights and taking one curve particularly fast, making Gibbs smirk as the tires squealed. They pulled up in the lot down the road from the bar that Gibbs' car was parked in. As Eric had promised, it hadn't been touched.

"See you in a little bit?" Tony asked, knowing the answer already.

"Yeah, just gotta run by the house for a few things." Gibbs stared at Tony, hand on the handle of the door.

"Okay. I'll be waiting." Tony said, voice low and playful. Gibbs thought for a moment and then leaned in like he was going to give Tony a quick kiss goodbye, but at the last second he changed targets and kissed Tony's neck, taking him by surprise. His tongue ran across it a little as he suckled and then bit down gently, making Tony gasp.

"Okay! Okay, you have to go, because you have to get to my place before I can't take it anymore and relieve _this_ ," he took Jethro's hand and put it on his throbbing hard-on, "without you."

"You'd better not!" Gibbs said, sitting up in affronted shock.

"Then get the hell out of my car and back to my apartment!" Tony said, giving him a playful push towards the door.

"I'm going! I'm going!" Gibbs said with a little laughter, opening the car door and getting out. "See you soon."

Tony watched as Gibbs got into his car and then once it was started, pulled away from the curb. He drove home in a daze, eager to have Gibbs in his apartment, in his room, in his bed, doing all sorts of wonderful things to him. The memory of this morning came to mind, of waking up next to Jethro, wrapped in each other's arms. It overwhelmed all of the sexual fantasies and Tony felt himself in awe.

Gibbs wanted him, needed him, and was about to spend a third night in a row with him. It was so much more than Tony had ever imagined he could have with the man he'd been craving not only physically but emotionally for years. Gibbs was reaching out to him in ways he had never expected. He was actually text messaging! Gibbs! Using his phone for something other than grunting at dispatch! Not to mention, he left a meeting with Vance to sneak down and have coffee with him.

Tony thought back to the smile Gibbs was wearing when he approached him at the wall. He had never seen him look so relaxed at work during something as important as an op. He tingled at the idea that what they had could cause something so drastic. _Maybe this is having just as heavy an impact on him as it is me,_ Tony realized. Then another thought crossed Tony's mind and it distracted him enough that he almost ran a red light.

_Is Gibbs... really falling in love with me?_

Tony stared with wide-eyed shock at the road in front of him, barely registering the change in the light before continuing towards home. A million thoughts ran through his head. All of his insecurities flooded him, all of his doubts came to the forefront, threatening his happiness. Then he remembered those words in the shower, and thought about how Gibbs snuggled into him this morning, letting himself be held. He thought about the kiss in the garage just now, the way Gibbs had looked at him as he asked if he was staying last night, and the smile at the wall. By time he made his way through his apartment door, he had convinced himself that it was too early to tell, but it was possible that yes, Jethro _might_ be falling for him.

The sudden weight of the thought brought on an anxiety that wrecked Tony's nerves and he pulled a beer out of the fridge. It was half gone in one long drink. This is what he had wanted for so long, and now that he had it, the reality that he could mess it up was hitting him. He needed to unwind. He took his beer to the living room and put on some Sinatra, then moved to the bedroom to change out of his work clothes. The suit came off and flannel pajama pants and a long sleeve tee went on. He took the last swig of his beer and headed towards the fridge for a second, leaning on the counter to open it and give himself a pep talk.

_Okay, so what do we know? We know that Gibbs- Jethro- seems happier than I've ever seen him. He's acting pleasantly out of character when he can get me alone, and then there's the incredible sex. And the morning after... snuggling? Cuddling? What was that? And he did tell me that I was his, from now on, and when I told him he belonged to me too, he said he hoped so. And he head-slapped me at work for just looking at a photo of a woman with interest._

_Okay. So... he could very well be falling in love with me._

_What possible outcomes are we looking at here? We could actually end up frustrating and annoying the shit out of each other, and then break up, and cause some serious friction at work. Or... we could fizzle out and I'd lose not only my mentor, but a fantasy I've clung to for years. But... I just can't see that happening. Could we really last? Could we really make this... commitment to each other?_

Tony heard the door to his apartment open. The immediate smile that came to his face and the butterflies in his stomach answered his question for him. _We gotta try._

"Hey." Gibbs stepped into the kitchen with a smile, already changed into jeans and a hoodie. Tony opened the fridge and handed him a beer, checking him out in the process.

"About damn time you got here. Leaving me alone with my thoughts is never a good thing." Tony said, leaning back on the counter.

Gibbs caught the shadow in Tony's eyes as he tried to joke. He sat his beer on the table and moved to block Tony against the counter. He took Tony's beer from him and sat it in the sink next to them, then put his arms around Tony's waist. His blue eyes had gone serious and Tony felt his heart beating harder in his chest and his smile fell. Gibbs was the one person in the world that could see through every one of Tony's masks. It was what Tony loved about him- he was willing to see the real him, and Tony was willing to share it with him.

Gibbs' right hand moved to the back of Tony's head then to his neck, grasping him gently, caressing his cheek with his thumb. He knew what Tony had been thinking about, knew that Tony's fears were going to get the best of him about what was going on between them, and frequently. He wasn't sure of what to say, but he knew what to do. His lips moved to take Tony's in a gentle kiss, soft and tender, then another, and another, pulling Tony closer to him and holding him there.

Tony let himself be kissed, feeling the safety of Gibbs' arm around him, protecting him from himself. The kisses continued for a long couple of minutes and then Tony was in both of Gibbs' arms and pulled into a tight embrace.

"I'm not going anywhere, Tony," he said softly into his lover's ear. "And I'm not letting you go either." Tony's arms tightened around Jethro and a heavy sigh escaped into Jethro's shoulder.

"How do you do that?" he asked more to himself, not expecting an answer.

"Do what?" Gibbs asked gently, never letting go of Tony, his own chin falling to the younger man's shoulder.

"Know just what I'm thinking, just what to say, just how to... fix me." Tony replied, baffled by the question when the answer seemed so obvious to him.

Gibbs thought about it for a minute. "I don't really know. I feel like I know you inside out, and after ten years, maybe I do. Aw hell, Tony. Honestly?" Gibbs pulled back just enough to look Tony in the eyes, finding them openly revealing his most authentic self, focusing in that way Gibbs saw when Tony was concentrating his hardest on a case. "I felt that way the day I met you." Tony's eyes widened in surprise and his head moved back a little.

"Really?" he asked softly, in disbelief.

Gibbs sighed a little, then began slowly. "Yeah. That first day- your drive, your stubbornness, your focus... they were all things I admired about you. I got to know all of that before you could hide behind the cocky, untouchable Tony. Not that I don't enjoy your humor, but there's always been more there, and I've been lucky enough to see it. I think... over the years, we've both let each other in more than we've let most other people. I think I've let you in more than anyone else in my life since Shannon. Mike, maybe, but that was definitely different." Mentioning two of the most missed people in his life, two people he felt he should have been able to protect and failed to do so, twisted his gut and he had to stop talking.

Tony pulled Gibbs back to his body in a tighter embrace than before, this time moving his arms to hold Gibbs instead.

After Tony held him for a long couple of minutes, he felt the older man start to pull away. Tony wouldn't let him go completely though. "I know that you're not really a talker, but I hope you know, if you do ever want to talk to me about them, I'm here. Good, bad, just... a random memory... I'd love to hear it." Gibbs smiled at Tony's offer, knowing it was genuine.

"Thanks, Tony." Tony gave him a half smile, worrying in the back of his mind that Gibbs would never talk to him about Shannon and Kelly, and he didn't know how to tell Jethro that it was alright, that he wasn't trying to replace them, and that he honestly wanted to know.

"Are we...?" Tony felt compelled to ask Gibbs some things and clear his doubts. He bit his tongue though, trying not to overwhelm his lover. His eyes shifted around the room and back to Gibbs' eyes. He didn't know if he should ask.

"Are we what, Tony?" Gibbs asked softly and encouragingly.

Tony took a deep breath and let it out. "Are we moving too fast? Are we getting too serious, too quickly, I mean, you know... _emotionally_?" Tony said the word as if though it were a contagious disease.

Gibbs raised one eyebrow and thought for a second. "That depends on how you feel. I think we're doing just fine so far. What do you think?"

Tony released another sigh of relief and smiled broadly. "I think we're finally catching up to where we're supposed to be," he confessed. "I'm happy."

Gibbs smiled as brightly as Tony. "I am too." Gibbs pulled Tony towards him for another kiss, letting this one linger.

Tony felt the warmth of the kiss settling into him. It was tender and sensual. He could taste coffee and felt the strength of Gibbs hands as they found his hips before pulling away. "Next time you are alone with your thoughts and they start wandering, think of that." Gibbs' smiled and finally separated himself from Tony, heading for the fridge. "You have anything to eat in here?" he asked, opening the door and rummaging. Tony laughed and moved up behind him, checking out his ass as he bent to scrounge through the shelves.

"Left drawer, lunch meat and cheese. Bread is in the cabinet to the left there." Gibbs opened the drawer and retrieved the meat and cheese while Tony pulled a couple of plates out of a cabinet to put their food on.

The next few minutes were spent making sandwiches. Tony cut a tomato and sang in a goofy voice to himself. "Tomaaato, tomaaahhtoo, potatoooo, potahhhtoo... let's call the whole thing off." Gibbs chuckled and shook his head, enjoying the mood change in the room. Tony handed a slice to Gibbs for his sandwich but instead he began eating it by itself. Tony chuckled at that and handed him another slice; this one made it to the bread. Tony picked his beer back up from the sink and headed to the living room. Gibbs grabbed his and followed. They plopped down on the couch and Tony propped his feet up on the coffee table.

"So, I've got a question." Tony started, an impish glint in this eye.

Gibbs looked at him a moment and then back at his sandwich. "Why do I have a feeling I'm going to regret this?"

"You might, actually. It's personal, but I'm curious to know. And I kinda feel like I deserve to." Gibbs gave Tony a cautioning look. "I tell you what, I'll ask this question, and you have to answer. Then you can ask me any question you want, and I'll have to answer. Honest answers." Tony propositioned Gibbs' curiosity.

Gibbs finished his sandwich and rubbed his hands together, knocking the crumbs off on the floor. He leaned back against the couch and swallowed his last bite. "On two conditions. The first, whatever the questions and answers are, they stay right here, under any and all circumstances. Second, I don't have to ask my question right now. I need time to think about it." Tony thought Gibbs was taking this a little too seriously, but nodded. The question he was going to ask was personal, but not _that_ personal.

"Sure. Sounds fair." Tony watched Gibbs' face as he obviously thought about what he wanted to ask him. "You ready?" Gibbs' eyes met his again and he nodded.

Tony smiled, almost nervous, asking. "When was the last time you dated a man?"

Gibbs' visibly relaxed and exhaled. He shook his head a little and a faint smile crossed his lips. "I don't think you could really say I've ever _dated_ another man. Slept with, had flings with, yeah, but I've never had a relationship with another man. The last time I had sex with a man was after I lost the girls."

"Well, until Saturday night." Tony joked, trying to keep things light. It worked and Gibbs smiled broadly, looking into his lover's face. "By the way, I should probably warn you to be careful with my shoulders tonight. They're a little tender." Tony said, smile never fading, watching Gibbs turn a light shade of pink.

"Sorry about that," he said, hand moving to rub the back of his own head.

"Don't be. I'm not." Tony smirked.

"Good to know." Gibbs' replied casually. Tony's smug smile disappeared around the neck of his beer. As soon as it was set on the table though, he was thrown back against the arm of the couch, under the pleasant weight of Gibbs' body. Gibbs put most of his weight on one hand that was on the edge of the couch, blocking Tony in, but made sure his groin put just enough pressure against Tony so he could feel him getting hard. Tony moaned and arched up to meet him. Gibbs' lips descended on his and his tongue demanded entrance. Tony gave it gladly, but when his tongue tried to move into Gibbs' mouth, Gibbs wouldn't let him. Tony's hand moved to pull Gibbs' head towards him and Gibbs grabbed his wrist with his free hand and held it over Tony's head.

Tony groaned as he was pinned hard under Gibbs. The older man let his full weight lie on him, freeing up his other hand to take Tony's other wrist and pin it above his head as well. The assault moved from Tony's lips to his neck and shoulder. Gibbs nibbled and licked and kissed Tony, eliciting a shiver from him that made Gibbs thrum with passion. He loved the way Tony just turned himself over to him, letting him have him. Gibbs knew that if at any minute the younger man really wanted to, he could make this a serious struggle, but tonight he was just giving himself up to Gibbs' mercy, and it was just what Gibbs needed.

"Keep them there." Gibbs demanded, letting go of Tony's hands which immediately fell to grasp the arm of the couch as Tony tried to restrain himself. Gibbs pushed Tony's shirt up, motioning for Tony to raise up just enough to remove it. It fell to the floor behind the couch and Gibbs' moved to continue nibbling and licking his way down Tony's chest and stomach, making sure to pay attention to his nipples, causing him to squirm. Gibbs moved a strong hand to Tony's hip, forcing it down into the couch. "Hold still," he scolded and continued his feast on Tony's body.

Tony couldn't help but love what Gibbs was doing to him. Each nibble set another bit of his skin on fire, and every command had him slipping closer to ecstasy. He trusted Jethro completely and was enjoying just being taken care of. Gibbs licked his skin right above his groin and then blew on it, causing Tony to shiver yet again, yearning for his lover to move just an inch or two lower. Gibbs' hands moved to cup each of Tony's ass cheeks and move him towards him so the younger man was flat on his back. Tony let himself be moved and once he was positioned just the way Gibbs wanted him, he felt his pants slide over his ass, then thighs and finally his feet.

Gibbs took Tony's legs and put one up on the back of the couch, the other in the air. "Hold them there. I'll be back." Tony froze, wondering what he had done to deserve this kind of punishment so he could remember to do it again. He watched as Gibbs moved into the bedroom and heard some shuffling through Tony's nightstand. Tony knew what he was looking for and his entire body flushed with heated anticipation. His cock was standing at attention at nearly the same angle as his leg.

Gibbs came back in the room, prowling slowly towards the couch. His eyes made contact with Tony's and he pulled his shirt slowly over his head. As soon as it was removed, their eyes locked again. Gibbs reached for his jeans button and began to unbutton it, unzipping them slowly. Tony watched the animalistic hunger on Gibbs face while he stripped for him. Once Gibbs' pants were unzipped, Tony realized he had forgone underwear tonight as the denim fell to the floor. Gibbs stepped out of it agilely, eyes still on Tony.

Tony felt like he was being served as a meal for a hungry lion as he lay there, waiting helplessly under the shackles of Gibbs' demands. He hadn't thought about moving even once while Gibbs was out of the room. He just lay still, waiting for Gibbs to return and take him.

Gibbs gave Tony's position an approving gaze, standing in the middle of the room, looking him over like a puzzle he was trying to figure out, or a piece of artwork. He moved towards the couch and Tony's eyes caught the bright red lid of the lube that was in his nightstand. He was so incredibly horny that even that little glimpse made him moan quietly in his throat.

Gibbs returned to his position between Tony's legs and leaned down to kiss him, letting their members graze each other. Gibbs' eyes closed but he managed to hold back the groan that threatened to escape. Tony whimpered as he tried hard not to thrust against his lover.

Jethro leaned into Tony's neck and whispered. "Who do you belong to, Tony?"

Tony shivered so hard his entire body shook. "You. Just you, Jethro." he half whispered, half moaned in return.

"Good. So the next time some attractive woman's pictures come up on that screen, you're going to think about what I'm about to do to you instead of undressing her with your eyes. Do you understand?" he whispered, one hand running along his thigh, fingers grazing his balls.

Tony spasmed involuntarily at the touch. "Crystal clear." he gasped, eyes closed against the sensation.

Gibbs watched his expression and smirked to himself. Tony was his, all his. He had no doubts anymore. The last of the voices that nagged him on his drive over vanished. He kissed Tony deeply again and then trailed his fingers down his chest and stomach before reaching for the lube. The lid clicked open and he put some on his fingers, smearing it a little.

Tony's green eyes burned brightly through his flushed face as he watched from his position on the couch. Gibbs wrapped his free hand around Tony's thigh and pulled him up some. Tony reached back and his fingers found the throw pillow that was sitting in the armchair by the couch. He slid it under his ass with a brief smile and then returned his hands to their position over his head. Gibbs glared at him for a moment but understood enough to let this one infraction go.

He found Tony's muscular ring with his finger and began to run around the edges. It elicited a delicious moan from the man below him. Gibbs was throbbing, aching to be inside his lover, but he was enjoying the tease, so he kept going. He let his finger slip in but only to his first knuckle. He crooked it so that Tony couldn't thrust up on it, which Gibbs could tell he was trying desperately not to do.

"Clench it," he directed. Tony immediately began clenching down on his fingertip, trying to squeeze in pulses but eventually just clamping down and staying. Gibbs closed his eyes, imagining him doing that to his dick as it was buried all the way in Tony's ass. He took a deep breath and then pushed the finger in deeper, fucking him with it. Tony whimpered in attempt to hide something he was about to say.

"Good. Keep that mouth shut." Gibbs spoke in a low husky voice, in full control but riddled with passion. "The only thing I want to hear out of you is moaning, groaning and eventually my name being screamed from your lips." That made Tony groan deeply and loudly. He wanted to get to the part where he screamed "Jethro", and sooner rather than later.

Gibbs put in a second lubed finger and began loosening him up. He reached for and found Tony's prostate, grazing it with his fingertips, making Tony gasp and moan. Gibbs' free hand was still wrapped around Tony's leg, pulling him towards him in small jerks as he finger-fucked him.

"This isn't what you really want, is it?" Tony shook his head, remembering the rules. Gibbs smiled, impressed. "Me neither. I want what you want," he said, his restraint causing his voice to rasp. "I want my cock buried in your ass, making you moan and scream." Tony nodded and moaned then threw his head back flat against the couch cushion.

Gibbs opened the lube and slicked up his throbbing cock. The cool lube did nothing to temper the heat he felt. He positioned it against Tony's hole and he could feel the younger man relax and his leg go limp over his arm.

Tony was trying to relax so he could take it all as fast as Gibbs gave it to him last night, craving that fiery passion again. He was enthralled by the way Gibbs had just taken control. Tony was more than willing to give it over to him. He waited as Gibbs' ran the head of his stiff member against Tony's welcoming hole, over and over again, teasing both of them. Finally, with a moan and a growl, Gibbs let himself start slipping past Tony's entrance.

Gibbs had to stop and breathe deeply to keep himself from coming immediately. He loved the way Tony felt around him, warm and tight. Tony's mouth was hanging open a little as he was engulfed in both the pleasure and the pain of the moment. Gibbs was no small man, and having him inside of him was a fulfilling experience.

It was different with Gibbs than it had ever been before. It was not only sexual. In that moment, where they both just stopped to take in that first inch together, it was like they were also breathing a sigh of relief that they were finally close enough to one another to cure the ache, and fill the gap between them. Tony felt the sensation deserved the moment's pause they gave it more than the need to become acquainted with Gibbs size. It was overwhelming.

He wasn't the only one feeling it though. Gibbs had wanted to be this close to Tony all day. He wanted to move, bypass the emotions and release the animal within, but he couldn't. There was something just so heightened about the moment that he had to give in to it.

He felt a shiver run though him as he opened his eyes to find Tony's trained on him. Tony really was extremely sexy, and those green eyes were some of the most beautiful Gibbs had ever seen. He saw the emotions there, mixed with an agonizing lust. He didn't take his eyes off of Tony as he slowly began thrusting deeper. Tony's eyes closed again and Gibbs watched as he let the pleasure wash over him.

Finally, Gibbs couldn't take it anymore and the restraint snapped. He began fucking Tony earnestly, both he and Tony panting and grunting. He reached a hand out to take Tony's cock in his grasp and immediately began stroking him quickly. A few minutes later, when Tony thought he couldn't take it anymore, Gibbs growled under his breath. "Come for me, Tony."

Tony felt the dam break within him and all of the energy in his body sprung loose. He came, shouting Jethro's name while Gibbs gave a few more hard thrusts before unloading into him, letting his senses shatter.

Before Tony, sex with a man had never been more than a steamy, forbidden release. Finding out just how incredible it could be over the past few days had changed his entire outlook. He knew that if he were to have gotten back on this horse with anyone else, it wouldn't have been anywhere near this amazing. Tony was the difference. Tony's trust, his care, his intensity, all made it something that he knew he wouldn't be able to go without from now on.

He let himself fall forward onto Tony and kiss the parted lips that waited there for him. They explored each other's mouths with sloppy tongues while they gathered their senses. It took a long time, but there were no complaints from either of them.

Gibbs laid his head on Tony's chest and felt his lover's arms coming around him to hold him there. He let the steady heartbeat and the sense of security he felt in Tony's protective embrace lull him to sleep. Tony stared lovingly down at the man in his arms, the tender moment a complete contrast to the demanding sex they had just shared. _So, that's the difference between having sex, and making love,_ he thought to himself. The perfect contentment that engulfed him made him close his own eyes, and in moments, he was asleep as well.


	6. Chapter 6

Tony felt Gibbs' warmth and weight on top of him as soon as he woke up. The light was still on in the room and the sun was coming through the window already. He looked down at it shining on Gibbs' silver hair and smiled to himself. He stayed there watching his lover's head rise and fall on his chest as they breathed. It was overwhelming and perfect.

He wondered if there would ever be a morning that he would wake up next to Gibbs that didn't feel perfect. He couldn't imagine it. They could be waking up at 4am to get called out on a weekend run and Tony would still feel on top of the world knowing that he had been called out while in bed with Jethro. He smiled at the thought and tried not to chuckle to himself at the idea that they would ever be in the position to both have their phones ring at the same time for the call.

That's when it hit him. They didn't set an alarm. They had fallen asleep after their incredible love-making the night before. Tony looked across the room at the clock on the wall and panicked. They were late for work.

"Jethro! Oh, God. Jethro! We overslept!" Gibbs' head jumped up off of Tony's chest and he sat up with a groan, blinking against the light. Tony paused for only the merest second in appreciation at the sight, but jumped up and booked it to the bedroom. He hollered over his shoulder at his half-awake boss. "It's already ten 'til eight! We overslept!"

Gibbs jumped off the couch and rushed into Tony's bathroom with him. The shower was turned on and they both jumped in at the same time, which earned a laugh out of both of them. Tony was surprised that Gibbs could laugh at a moment like this. He, himself, was known to be a little late now and then, but Gibbs probably hadn't been late to work in twenty years.

Somehow, they alternated turns under the stream of the water, lathering quickly and rinsing evidence of last night off of them. Gibbs was done first and kissed Tony before getting out and grabbing the closest towel he could find. Tony rinsed the rest of the soap off and followed less than a minute later. They were both dripping as they made their way to Tony's room, where Tony started pulling clothes from drawers and his closet. Gibbs was yanking clothes out of his duffel.

Tony reached into the closet for his lockbox and loaded his clip into his gun, holstering it and then slipping his badge into place. He heard Gibbs clanking around behind him doing the same thing. They turned and looked at each other and then at the clock on the night stand. 8:12.

"Shit." Gibbs said, shaking his head. Tony couldn't help but chuckle. Gibbs looked at him in aggravated disbelief at first, but that only made Tony laugh harder. Gibbs scoffed but a smile formed on his face that he couldn't fight. He threw his hands up then rested them on his hips. "You know we can't both show up late at the same time."

"Ahh. So, who gets to be the late one, and who gets to be really late?" Tony asked forcing himself to repress his laughter.

Gibbs sat on the bed in defeat. He couldn't stop smiling though and Tony moved to sit next to him. "I have an idea. Why don't we both show up an hour late. We can tell Tim, Ziva and Vance that we had done it intentionally because we stayed late last night."

"What about McGee?" Gibbs asked, not buying it himself.

"You snooze, you lose." Tony joked.

Gibbs shook his head and took Tony's hand. "You're a bad influence on me." Tony smiled broadly at that.

"Actually, I think I just might be an improvement!" He winked at Gibbs.

"I could go in just a little late and you could come in really late and let me chew you a new one." Gibbs suggested, leaning into Tony. Tony gladly obliged with a kiss.

"I don't know. If I get reprimanded at work, do I get punished again tonight?" he asked, eyebrows wiggling. Gibbs smirked but looked away. "Why don't we just go in and play it by ear." Tony suggested. Gibbs shrugged and stood up.

"We're going to have to. I have to be there by 0900. People are coming in from the op I've been on. You're going to have to take lead on the Kenthauser case." Tony's head snapped up in surprise.

"You need me to take lead on it? Or do I just have to watch over it today?" Tony asked.

Gibbs thought about it a moment. "Take lead. You can use it, deserve it, and I don't know how much time I'll be able to dedicate to it this week." Tony was shocked at how much was packed into that one statement. Gibbs was handing over a case, and he told Tony that he _deserved_ it. That was high praise from a boss that didn't hand it out often. What really had him baffled though was the idea that he "could use it". How did Gibbs know that? What did he mean by it?

"Okay," was all he managed to get out, with a little nod.

Tony got to his feet in a sort of daze as Gibbs picked up his bag. He moved to the kitchen and opened a cabinet, taking a couple of cereal bars out. He looked over at Gibbs who was waiting for him by the front door with surprising patience and motioned to a bar. Gibbs shrugged and Tony tossed one his way before heading to the door. Gibbs opened it and swooped up his keys and wallet from the table next to it, but paused before leaving to turn and pull Tony close for a quick kiss. "Maybe a little good influence," he said quietly, with a smile, then walked out.

Tony turned to lock the door behind them and by time he turned around, Gibbs was heading down the stairs. _Back to Boss mode,_ he thought with a happy shrug and a shake of his head _._ He honestly didn't mind. He liked the separation between work and home while at the same time having someone in his life outside of work that completely got what it was like at work. _I wonder if he's even thought about rule twelve since we've gotten together..._

Tony unlocked his car as Gibbs drove past him, flashing him a smile. Tony smiled back and got in, wondering how things would end up when they got to work. He still didn't like the idea that they were showing up at the same time, so he ran through a drive-thru for some coffee for the team. By time he pulled into the garage, it was ten 'til 9. He jumped into a closing elevator with some suits from down in accounting he had never really talked to, and pushed the button for their floor.

The doors opened at five before nine and he rushed into the bullpen. Gibbs was gathering stuff from his desk to head up to Vance's office for his meeting. He eyed Tony with faux-frustration, putting on his best game face. It actually made Tony nervous.

"Sorry Boss. Had something I had to take care of." He gulped and reached a tentative hand out with a cup of coffee as if it were peace-offering. Gibbs grunted and took the cup.

"DiNozzo's leading the Kenthauser case. I'll be in the Director's office and MTAC most of the next few days." McGee and Ziva looked up at him as he headed up the stairs. Ziva came out from around her desk to stand next to Tony, who was trying not to gawk at his lover. He turned and smiled at the Probies.

"Coffee?" he asked. Ziva looked at him suspiciously. He handed her a cup with the same peace-offering smile that he had given Gibbs, only this time with honest apprehension. Her eyes narrowed at him as she took it. Tim got to his feet and grabbed for a cup as well. "Hold up McGee, that one's mine." Tim grabbed the other one with a smile and headed back to his desk.

Tony shook his head a little with a content smile. He was grateful for his team. They just flowed well together. All it took was coffee and they had already skipped over the fact that Tony had just been left in charge. They had come a long way from years ago when that announcement would have caused grumbling and near mutiny.

He moved behind his desk and hit the button to turn on his computer, tossing the cup carrier on top of the filing cabinet next to his desk. "McGee, have you filled Ziva in on our probable serial killer?" he looked back and forth between Ziva and McGee.

"I started to- before Gibbs got here." McGee looked at Ziva and Tony noticed the awkward interaction between them.

"What am I missing?" Tony asked, looking between the two of them.

Ziva looked over her cup of joe at him. "Before... Gibbs got here. Gibbs, was here _after_ us."

Tony felt the anxiety try to sneak in that they knew something and shut it down. "You mean, Gibbs was... late?" He looked to McGee for confirmation and got it. Tony sat back, feigning his best amazement. "Wow. That explains why he didn't lay into me just now." Ziva gave him a nod, repressing a giggle. Tony looked at her with a smile. "You don't think..."

McGee stood up and moved towards Tony's desk and Ziva jumped up to join them. They crowded in towards one another in a gossiping huddle. "Tony, you should have seen him. He came in," Tim started before being cut off by Ziva. "...trying to look stern and angry..." she added, then letting Tim pick back up the train of thought, "...but he turned on his computer and then leaned on his hands, staring at the screen like he was waiting for it to boot, but he was _smiling..._ "

"...a _big_ smile, Tony, as in..."

"Tony, it was your smile yesterday." Tim said seriously. "The seriously happy smile."

Ziva looked from Tim to Tony in a sudden shock. "Wait. Now I am missing something. Why were you smiling yesterday? McGee! You are holding out on me, no?"

Tony looked at McGee with exasperation. "McGee! Come on!"

Tim looked back with dead-serious eyes. "I mean it Tony. That look was the exact same kind of..." Tony reached up and slapped his hand over Tim's mouth.

"I got it." Tony sighed with frustration and looked at Ziva. She actually looked a little hurt at being left out, and that made Tony cave. "I'm seeing someone. As in, _seeing_ them. As in, more than once." Ziva looked at him with happy surprise.

"That is fantastic Tony. Why did you not want me to know? I am happy for you." She smiled at him and then punched Tim in the arm. It wasn't nearly as hard as she could have, but McGee still reached up to rub it.

"Hey!" he said indignantly. Then Tony reached up and punched the other one. "Ow! Damn it! Okay! Okay! I can only take one punch from one of you! I'll keep my mouth shut from now on!" Both of them glared at him. "What? I can't make you both happy. And Tony's lead on the case, so it's going to have to be him. So, what's the game plan?" he asked, changing the topic. Ziva looked back at Tony for an answer.

"McGee, get Ziva caught up on the case and you guys start looking through any ideas you may have picked up last night. I'm going to go run the case by Abby and Ducky to see if there's anything they can think of and then we'll campfire when I get back. I have some names to look into. I'll email them to you before I head down."

Tony turned to his computer and started opening the email client. Tim and Ziva moved to Tim's desk and Tim began to go over the file with her. Tony clicked send on his email and grabbed his file folder to take with him to Ducky and Abby.

"That is uncanny." Ziva said, looking at the pictures on the screen that McGee was showing her.

"Yeah, tell me about it. Gibbs got grumpy right away. You know how he gets with..."

"Serial killers," they both said at the same time.

"Yes. I am surprised he went home last night, none the less met up with some... mystery woman," she said quietly but not quietly enough. Tony heard it as he walked out of the bullpen and smiled.

As he approached the elevator, the doors opened. Five people filed out. There were two women in Muslim garb and a man similarly dressed, and then a face he recognized vaguely in a Marine's uniform that read Jacobs, all escorted by a guard. Jacobs nodded at Tony as he passed and Tony nodded back, mind working in overdrive. He held the door of the now empty elevator and craned his neck to watch the group head up to the Director's office.

"Huh." he said aloud to himself, and then turned to get into the lift. His mind started turning a bit as he remembered the last encounter he had with Jacobs. It was over a satellite feed on an op that he and Gibbs were both in MTAC dealing with. Tony was simply there to help find information, and he noticed that Gibbs had been talking comfortably with Jacobs, almost with flirty humor in his voice. It had taken him by surprise. He tried to tell himself he was reading too much into it, and he'd choked down his jealously back then under the premise that it was a "Marine thing".

Tony took a deep breath as he stepped off of the elevator and into Abby's lab. He couldn't believe he was feeling so jealous all of a sudden. Gibbs was going to be sitting in a room all day with a fresher piece of meat than him. Not to mention, Jacobs had the rare honor of having a pretty comfortable connection with Gibbs.

Thoughts of last night's loving making filled Tony's mind, and he felt most of the jealousy-inferno doused. He suddenly just _knew_ that there was nothing to worry about. The smile that crossed his face was involuntary and it appeared just as Abby turned to greet him.

"Hi, Tony! Wow, you're looking chipper this morning!" Tony shook his head. _I told him! Abby always knows!_

"Yeah, I guess I am. Gibbs is giving me lead on a case while he's working in MTAC this week, and I need the insight of my favorite forensic scientist."

Abby raised her eyebrows and turned her full attention to Tony. "Nice! So what do we got? I didn't know anything came in."

"It's a cold case that's getting pretty warm. It comes with a price though. It's looking like a serial killer." He watched as Abby grimaced.

"I know why Gibbs handed it over now," she said with sympathetic look.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Tony said, laying the folder out on the table and opening it up.

"It's just that Gibbs hates serial killers and you've worked homicides for a long time. He knows you can take care of it, and he doesn't have to worry about it. You know?" she said, trying to explain herself.

"Uh huh." Tony said and drew her attention back to the file. "Her name is Kenthauser. She drowned in a pool when she got the chance to hit land for a while."

"Well, that's ironic." Abby said and Tony tried hard not to snicker. They discussed the case for a while. Abby didn't work on it originally but she did have access to the old files. She said she'd pull them up and take a second look.

"Now, Buster. What's up with that smile?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Another time, Abs. Gotta hit Ducky with this next and get back to the Probies." he deflected.

"I'm going to hold you to that, Mister!" she called after him as he left the lab.

 _Dodged a bullet there, but it's definitely going to come back to follow me,_ he thought to himself as he began to re-read the file and head towards autopsy. He looked up as he came in to find Jimmy and Ducky closing the freezer door on their latest victim.

"Oh, Anthony. I was told you were going to be coming to see me at some point today." Ducky greeted.

Tony held the file up and moved towards the nearest table and opened it up. "Yeah Duck. Could use your insight. Gibbs has put me on lead for this one, since he'll be in MTAC most of the week." Ducky nodded.

"So I've heard," he said and moved towards him, removing his mask and gloves. "Jethro called me on his way in this morning." Ducky didn't try to cover his smile but didn't explain it, or the jovial tone to his voice. Tony looked up at Palmer's confused expression. Jimmy looked at Ducky and then Tony. Tony shrugged and then began discussing the file with the M.E. "Do you remember this one?"

Ducky nodded sadly.

"Yes, somewhat. Poor girl. She had been in the water all night. Any sign of sexual assault would have most likely been washed away and the chlorine content was so high in the water that her hair was a sickly green color. Seems that her blonde locks were not completely natural. Did you know that the chemicals used to color hair a yellow hue turn green when they are exposed to chlorine? It always fascinated me that, women especially, would continue to use the dye, swim in pools, and then would try to _re-dye_ it back. I knew this one young lady, quite beautiful but not the brightest thing I'm afraid. She had done this multiple times in one summer and it caused her hair to fall out. She was completely bald the whole first term that year. It just didn't seem to want to grow back. Eventually-"

"Ducky." Tony looked at him and then the file.

"Oh, yes. Sorry my dear boy. Let's see here." Ducky looked further at the file. "Jethro said that there was another case, a younger woman that drowned in Boston?" Tony nodded.

"McGee has emailed you info about it. The actual case file is coming to us from Boston and should be here sometime today." Ducky nodded and moved towards his computer. He signed in and then opened the file.

"Oh my. I'm afraid they really are too much alike for this to be mere coincidence."

"There's no such thing when it comes to this stuff, Ducky." Tony said, looking over his shoulder and shaking his head at the pictures again.

Ducky looked up at Tony with raised eyebrows. "Jethro certainly doesn't believe so."

Tony looked down at Ducky. "I've learned he's right." Their eyes met and Ducky nodded before turning back to the senator's daughter's file.

"In this case especially, I'm afraid. Their facial symmetry is incredibly similar. I will have to take a look at the DNA analysis myself in order to believe that they aren't related. They even have the same shade of blue eyes, if these photos aren't changed by my computer."

"Nope, they're the same upstairs. It's unreal, in that creepy, chill up your back kinda way." Tony said, standing up, looking next to him at Jimmy, who nodded in agreement.

"Abby has the case file info as well and is going to go through the findings of both cases to see what she can get us to link the two of them. Until then, we're looking for similar cases. You don't happen to have any coming to mind do you?" Ducky sat back in his chair and thought a moment.

"No, I don't. I'll keep thinking though, and look through some files of my own. I'll let you know if anything shows promise," he said, looking up earnestly at Tony. "I do wish you luck, Anthony, though honestly, you'll need more than luck. I suppose that's why Jethro has given you lead on this case." Ducky turned towards the computer again, scrolling through the file. Tony looked at him with his hands out in exasperation. He noted Jimmy's nod and glared at him.

"Why is everyone saying that?" he asked without hiding the frustration.

Ducky turned back to him in surprise. "Whatever do you mean, Anthony?" he asked.

"Abby just said the same thing!" Tony felt very unsure of himself suddenly. Had Gibbs given the case to Tony for the wrong reasons? Was everyone so surprised that he was back in charge, even for one case, that they had to comment about it? He wanted to turn and walk out. Jimmy looked at him startled, and then Ducky's voice broke though.

"Anthony, if Jethro were to turn over a serial killer case to anyone, it would _have_ to be you. You're the only one he would trust with something so momentous. Your background gives you insight, your team won't follow directions from _anyone_ outside of it, and Jethro knows you wouldn't let him down. It makes the most sense. Honestly, if I didn't know how Jethro can't seem to relinquish control, I would expect this more often." Ducky looked at Tony, trying to see if his message was getting through to the agent.

Tony looked happily perplexed. "Huh."

"You'll do fine, my boy. We'll get this bastard like we've gotten the rest. Just let us know what you need." Ducky reached out and grasped him on the arm. Tony looked at him with a warm smile.

"Thanks, Ducky." Tony saw Jimmy nodding at him again, the startled expression gone. Tony gave him a smile as well and then moved past them to head back to the bullpen.

xx xx xx xx xx

Gibbs was sitting at the conference table with Vance and the rest of the op group. He had just finished hearing about their experiences throughout the mission. The room had been sealed under lockdown for the discussion and Gibbs was out of coffee. He felt discombobulated, and was finding himself having to fight to focus. It wasn't like him, and he didn't like it. Granted, most of the time, when his mind wandered, it was to Tony, but he needed to be present. His friends had been through a lot and they deserved his attention. Their lives were at stake and he was thinking about... _FOCUS, DAMN IT!_ he scolded himself.

He turned back to the conversation, hoping he hadn't missed much. He heard Vance asking where they should order food for lunch from. They decided and he went to his desk to get Pam to place the order. Gibbs had his empty coffee cup in his hand, running the bottom edge in a twirl absentmindedly on the table. He looked up to find Jacobs staring at him while Malek and the ladies talked quietly. He was a bit thrown off by the quick, almost shy smile he got from the younger Marine. He suddenly felt it warranted a response.

"How's your Dad?" Gibbs asked, trying to hide his confusion.

"He's pretty good. Surprised you remember." Jacobs replied, giving him that smile again, causing a familiar, queasy feeling to creep into Gibbs' gut. Flags were going up in Gibbs' head. The way Jacobs was looking at him reminded him of his days in the Corps when he was testing the waters with another guy to see if he was interested. He fought back an eye roll.

"Yeah. I met him last year. He's a good man. He served back in Desert Storm, right? That would have been when you were, what? Ten? Twelve? Hard on a kid." Gibbs tried to get his point across subtly. _This is_ not _what I need right now._

Jacobs nodded again and looked down on the table, running his fingers over the wood a bit in a slightly nervous way. "Yeah, but it helped make me the man I am now, so I'm grateful." he said, trying to sound confident. He looked back up at Gibbs from under his lashes in a way that Gibbs knew all too well. Gibbs nodded again, unable to say anything else but kept his face as blank as possible. He turned his attention to Vance as he walked back to the table, grateful for an excuse to break off the conversation with Jacobs, both verbal and non-verbal.

"Alright. Let's break. Lunch will be here in twenty. Bathrooms are down the hall to the right." Gibbs got to his feet immediately and Vance reached under the table to de-activate the room's lockdown protocol. Gibbs was at the door before the deactivation was complete and yanking on it to no avail. He turned and threw his hands up in frustration at Vance.

"It takes a second, Gibbs." Vance said, obviously amused.

"I have to check on how DiNozzo is doing with the Kenthauser case." was all he could say. The door beeped and Gibbs reached for it again, this time opening it successfully.

Vance turned back to the group with a shrug, hiding his personal concern for the drastic change in Gibbs' mood. "We need to get that man a caffeine patch." Malek looked at him, puzzled. "He's been out of coffee for over an hour. Gets a little... grumpy, without it." Malek chuckled and translated for Talia whose English wasn't as strong as his own and Dina's. Vance looked past him at Jacobs, who was staring at the door with an odd look on his face.

"You okay, Jacobs?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, sorry. Just can't believe I'm stateside, sir." Vance nodded. "Excuse me." Jacobs said and got up to leave the room.

xx xx xx xx xx xx

Gibbs was in the bullpen, getting his gun and badge out of his desk. Tony was at his desk going through some files. McGee was downstairs with Abby, going over the forensic reports again from both cases now that the files had arrived. Ziva was on the phone, sniffing out a lead. "DiNozzo. Sit rep. Walk and talk." Tony looked up at Gibbs and then grabbed his own gun and badge before following him to the elevator. The doors opened and the two men moved aside to let a couple of people out.

"Well, Boss, I had Ducky and Abby both look at the file this morning and they both saw the same obvious..." The doors to the elevator closed and Gibbs immediately hit the stop button. Tony was startled as Gibbs pushed him back against the wall of the elevator, hands in his hair, body pressed against his, kissing him deeply. Tony returned the kiss with just as much passionate zeal once he could acknowledge what was happening. They finally pulled back from each other, both gasping for air.

Gibbs moved to the opposite corner and rested a hand on each of the rails. Tony straightened his suit a bit as he re-acclimated to the lack of Gibbs' tongue in his mouth.

"Wow." he said, stunned.

"Yeah, sorry." Gibbs couldn't look at him.

"Don't _ever_ be sorry for that." Tony said seriously. He noticed the look on Jethro's face and moved towards him. "Jethro? What's wrong?"

Gibbs leaned back against the corner and tossed his head back before running his hands down his face. "I can't focus. I keep..." he looked at Tony. "I keep thinking about you, and last night, and us..." his voice was quiet, and despite the look on his face, he sounded happy.

Tony took him in, watching his posture, his expression, his everything with one glance, reading him like he always did. "There's more." Tony said, demanding with his eyes for Gibbs to keep going.

"Yeah. I'm sitting there all morning, trying to focus on whether or not my friends are safe to return to their country, and I'm distracted, thinking about us. Thinking about you, last night, and how we _..._ well how we just work, fit. And then, the moment Jacobs- you remember Jacobs?" Tony nodded, not liking where this was going. "The moment Jacobs has a minute to... he's looking at me like I'm lunch and dropping a hint..."

Tony's eyes shot to the elevator doors, feeling himself turn green from head to toe. "He's hitting on you? In the Director's office?"

"It was subtle, everyone else was distracted... it was just so damned uncomfortable." Tony watched Gibbs as he stressed out in a way he had never seen him. Tony moved to stand in front of his lover, and grasped his arms with his hands.

"Jethro. Look at me." Gibbs' eyes snapped up to find Tony's green eyes staring back at him intensely. "Go through this with me. Why does it make you so uncomfortable?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes and tried to break from Tony's grasp, but he held him tighter. "First thing that comes to your mind."

"I guess because that hasn't happened in so long. I'm finally happy with someone, with you, and you're the first man I've been with in years, and then I'm suddenly getting signaled by yet _another_ man, who I'm going to have to work with for a while, rather closely. I don't..." Tony looked at him meaningfully, and Gibbs continued. "I don't want him to give you any reason to doubt me. I don't want to mess us up."

Tony felt a warmth in his chest and a smile on his face. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs. You are the most loyal man I have ever met. Sure, you're going to have to work with a younger, pretty hot piece of meat, that apparently..." Tony cracked his neck "... has a thing for you. I might get a little jealous, but I would never actually believe for a moment that you would cheat on me."

"He felt like the enemy all of a sudden, like he was the first thing that could potentially damage us, and I just wanted to-" Tony's arms came up to engulf Gibbs, putting a stop to his rambling. Both men sighed at the same time and a chuckle escaped them both.

"See? We're just... right for each other." Gibbs joked, the nervous energy starting to disappear from his voice and shoulders.

"Yeah, we are, and there's no way some pipsqueak with a hard-on will come between us. You wouldn't let it, and I wouldn't believe him if he tried to pull something to tamper with what we have. So, forget about him, and think about that kiss you gave me in the kitchen yesterday." Tony said, stroking Jethro's arm slightly before taking his hand, reminding him how he had to comfort Tony's insecurities just the day before.

Gibbs kissed Tony gently. "Thanks."

"Anytime." he said and pushed the button for the elevator to start again. "You going to make it home tonight?" Tony asked as they descended.

"Tonight? Yes. Tomorrow? Maybe not." Gibbs said, suddenly sounding tired.

"Then we'll just have to make the most of tonight." Tony smirked and stepped off the elevator into the lobby. Gibbs stepped off next to him, realizing Tony had just used the word "home" in a way that made it sound like _their_ home. He knew that Tony hadn't meant it that way, but it felt oddly right.

"So how is the Kenthauser case going?" he asked, but not nearly with the kind of authority he normally used, but more of a conversational tone.

"No breaks yet but everyone is doing what they need to in order to crack it. Abby is comparing the DNA of the victims to make sure there aren't any links there. Ducky is going through some of his old files and profiling the victims. McGee is helping Abby while running searches and monitoring the former senator's online activities. I'm chasing down the files for the other women on my short, far-fetched list; the usual tactics for unusual cases. We'll know more in a couple of hours when the comparisons are final."

Gibbs nodded and then ordered them coffee. Tony listened as Gibbs ordered his coffee the way he normally would have ordered it for himself. Hazelnut, cream, sugar. It threw him off. He tried not to show the surprise he felt but failed miserably. Once the barista handed them their brews and they stepped away from her, Tony pulled back out of work mode and into relationship mode. "If you know how I take my coffee, how come you've never ordered it that way for me before?" Tony asked, sipping.

"That's a loaded question." Gibbs answered, not looking at his SFA and trying to hide a smile with his coffee.

"One you're not going to answer?" Tony asked.

"Not right now, at least." Gibbs said, chancing a sideways glance at his lover.

"Okay. I'm not letting it go, though."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "I would expect nothing less from you. Why am I in a relationship with an investigator again?" Gibbs joked and looked at Tony. The younger man's expression made him laugh out loud. Tony shook his head, his own smile broadening.

"So, have you thought of your question to ask me yet?" Tony prodded as they approached the building again.

"I'm torn between two actually." Gibbs answered, his tone going serious again. Tony couldn't tell if it was the switch back to work mode as they re-entered the building or if the questions Gibbs had been pondering were that serious.

"Hmm. Anything I can do to help you decide which to ask?" he said, his own tone more professional and quiet now that they were back in the building. They stepped onto the elevator, thankfully alone.

The doors closed. Gibbs leaned in to give Tony a quick kiss. He smiled happily at the way Tony's expression was suddenly serene and blissful. "I think I know which one to ask. I just have to find the right time to ask it." Gibbs whispered and then backed away from him just before the doors opened. He strolled into the bullpen and put his gun back into his desk drawer. He nodded at Ziva and then realized he was still grinning like a fool. _Oops. Oh well._

Tony looked at Ziva. "I'm going to head down to talk to Abby and McGee. You having any luck Probette?" Ziva shook her head, the phone already back against her ear. Tony nodded and turned back to the elevator.

Once inside, he called Gibbs' cell. Gibbs was almost to the Director's office when it rang. He saw it was Tony and the smile came back three-fold. "Yes?" he asked.

"I forgot to tell you, but McGee and Ziva picked up on your mood this morning. And yesterday, I told Tim that I was serious about the, uh _, woman_ I was seeing. He compared your smile this morning to the one I wore in here yesterday. Thought I should warn you." Gibbs leaned against the wall and chuckled into the phone.

"I told Vance yesterday that my life outside of work was making up for the crap happening with this op. I guess we're both letting this get out without realizing it," he said quietly. Tony chuckled and Gibbs heard the ding of the elevator doors opening on the other end. "My place tonight?" he asked with the happy flirtation he couldn't get out of his voice.

"Yeah. If I'm not needed here." Tony said quietly.

"Okay. See you then." Gibbs said and snapped his phone shut. He turned to see Jacobs leaning on the railing down the hallway. He mentally shrugged and headed back into the Director's office. Nothing in their conversation could give away who he was talking to, and if Jacobs had listened at all, he would know that Gibbs was _happily_ spoken for.

xx xx xx xx

Abby was leaning closely to her monitor when Tony walked into the room. She was going from one picture to another, comparing the two victims they were focusing on. Tim was typing away at a keyboard, windows opening and closing on this own monitor faster than Tony could wrap his mind around. He moved as quietly as he could to stand behind them without tipping them off and leaned against Abby's evidence table, crossing his arms. He waited a moment, watching them.

"Should we be getting Ducky to check your vision Abby?" he said, relishing in how she jumped. Tony noticed how McGee just smirked, and realized that he had known he was there but hadn't given him up. He wondered what was up with his Probie. He had been strangely supportive the past two days.

Abby reached forward and gave Tony a hard punch on the arm. "Ow Abs!" he said, laughing despite the bruise he knew she had given him.

"Don't do that! What is it with you and Gibbs?" she asked, turning back to her computer. Tony felt the smile cross his face at the association with Jethro.

"I don't know. He must be wearing off on me," he joked and then moved to stand next to her to see if he could figure out why she had been analyzing the photos up close like that instead of zooming in further on them. The smile hadn't left his face, and when Abby turned to him, she narrowed her eyes.

"You're such a dog, Tony!" she exclaimed. "You're _still_ smiling all goofy. She must have really been something." Abby gave Tony a stare that said it was his turn to talk. His hand went to the back of his neck for an anxious rub. He really hadn't wanted to tell Abby that he had been seeing someone seriously. He knew she would get over-zealous about the whole concept and he wouldn't be able to tell her it was Gibbs. He couldn't _not_ tell her that he was seeing someone though, because he had already told Tim and Ziva. He decided he would tell her, but not right now. _After the case,_ he assured himself.

"What do you got, Abs?" he asked giving her a pointed look.

"Still not as good as Gibbs." she said, commenting on his use of Gibbs' traditional line.

"That's because I'm not Gibbs, I'm Tony, and Tony needs to know what you have so Gibbs doesn't kill him. So, what do you have for me, Abs?" he said, looking away from her and towards the monitor. He saw Abby's expression and smiled to himself.

"Well, these two, just fascinate me. They are so much alike it's creepy, like really creepy. You know how they say everyone has a twin, or a doppelganger, out there? We found theirs. DNA tests should be back any minute now on them just to make sure they aren't actually related. They could be though! I mean, look at that nose! And those eyes!"

Abby's computer beeped at them and she immediately switched screens from the photos to what was a DNA database screen. She double clicked the file with a confused look. Tony and McGee both moved to stand closer to the screen.

"This is really weird, guys. They _are_ related! It says they're cousins, but..." Tony looked at her for an answer to her confusion. "I need to show this to Ducky." She print off the sheets and they all followed her to Autopsy.

"Abby, what's wrong?" Tony asked.

"There's something weird here I've never seen before, and I need Ducky to confirm my suspicion," she said. The three of them came through the autopsy doors and found Ducky at his desk while Jimmy sat by a table, sterilizing equipment.

Tony watched as Ducky and Abby looked over the papers Abby had printed. "Very good, my dear. Anthony?"

"Yeah, Ducky? What's the scoop?" he said, leaning over his shoulder.

"Abby's very right. These two would be cousins, in fact daughters of a set of identical twins. There are multiple indicators that these girls have some of the exact same genes that they would only be able to get if either they had the same mother or from two women with the same exact genetic make-up, identical twins. Other differences here show that they are not sisters, so twin mothers would be the only explanation."

"What do we know about Senator McGaffey's wife?" Tony asked, looking over at Tim.

"She died giving birth to Daniella McGaffey. She was 25, a nurse, dedicated to her job and helped her husband as he tried to start a landscaping business. That's about all people I spoke to remember of her." Tim said. "We haven't contacted McGaffey or any close family and friends yet. We figured it would stir up a pot we might not be able to put a lid on if somehow his daughter's death wasn't related to Kenthauser's." Tony nodded.

"Try to find out if Mrs. McGaffey was a twin, and if so, where her other half is. Great catch Abby. I owe you a double-Caffpow!" Tony turned and headed out of the room with McGee behind him. They got into the elevator and headed for the bullpen.

"You know you're going to have to tell her you're seeing someone." Tim said looking over at Tony.

"Yeah, but she's just... I don't want her to get her hopes up if this weren't to work out and you know how she gets. She'll get pushy about it and want to talk all the time and I just really wanted to keep this quiet while I learn how to deal with it. Just... enjoy it? Ya know?" he asked, looking at Tim, hoping, for some reason, to see his approval.

"Oh, I understand, but you know that the longer you wait, and she finds out that I knew, we're both in big trouble." He gave Tony a look that made Tony slam the emergency stop button.

"McGee." Tony turned on Tim. McGee looked at Tony realizing he had just given himself away. "What do you mean by both?" Tony asked him. McGee turned around and pounded his forehead against the wall. "Are you and Abby dating again?" he asked in his interrogation voice. That was the only explanation of why McGee would be in the doghouse with her as much as he would.

Tim's ears turned red under Tony's scrutiny.

"What the hell, McTrouble!" Tony threw his hands up in the air. This got messy last time, what were they thinking? If they fell apart again, rule twelve would rear its ugly head, and Gibbs might have second thoughts about _their_ relationship.

"We just started seeing each other again this weekend. I crashed at her house after going out Saturday, and had to take care of her because she was so drunk. She said some things while she was drunk that she would probably never have said sober, but they were out there. We woke up on the bathroom floor together Sunday morning. We ended up talking and the discussion got pretty serious and next thing we know... we're... together."

Tony looked at Tim with his most serious look. "Tim, _that_ doesn't leave this elevator. No one, NO ONE, is to find out about that until I get a chance to feel Gibbs out about it. Do you understand me?" McGee nodded, realizing that Tony had just called him Tim. "I need to hear those words out of your mouth, Tim. Tell me that you won't tell another soul. I don't care who. No Penny, no Ducky, no Palmer, no third grade teacher, no trusted family priest. No one."

"I won't tell anyone about Abby and I until you talk to Gibbs. I promise." Tim felt an odd fear of and appreciation for Tony suddenly. He wondered how Tony could possibly find himself in the position to talk to Gibbs about him and Abby if his growing suspicions were incorrect.

"Okay. After Gibbs is done with this op, I'll talk to him. Until then, I don't want to catch you so much as looking at her all lovey-dovey in the lab, or laying a hand on her, even to high five. No taking chances. Got it?" Tim nodded at Tony's vehemence.

 _How the hell am I going to keep Gibbs from killing Tim?_ Tony wondered as he turned to hit the stop button again.

"Hey Tim?" he said quietly.

"Yeah?" Tim answered uncertainly.

"I'm happy for you." Tony said, walking through the opening elevator doors.

Tim smiled and stepped off before the doors could close. _This is going to be interesting,_ he thought.

Tony sat down at his desk and began pulling up the files needed for Mrs. McGaffey. Ziva looked across the room at the two men who had begun their searches and hung up the phone. "What is happening?" she asked.

"They're cousins." McGee said.

"And their moms were twins." Tony said giving Ziva that look that said, _Can you believe that?_

"Wow. That certainly explains a lot." she started going through her own files to see what info she could dig up.

Twenty minutes later they were all gathered around the plasma.

"Okay, so Claire McGaffey and her twin sister Leona Cusack, were born to this woman, Melinda Stafford in 1963. She was a 15 year old, unwed mother, who put her girls up for adoption. Whether or not she had any choice in the matter or if Mommy and Daddy made her, we've yet to find out, but there they were. They ended up being separated and adopted by Tom and Amanda Cusack, and William and Sarah Bradley." Tony stated going through photos with the clicker.

Tim took the remote. "Leona Cusack had gotten married at 18 to her high school sweetheart, Ron Kenthauser, became pregnant with our victim and then shortly after got divorced. Claire McGaffey was married to former-Senator McGaffey at 23, and then died in childbirth to Daniella at 25. The cousins are seven years apart, and were killed within two months of one another in drownings."

"So, the questions are, who would do it, and why." Tony said. He turned to the Probies. "Campfire, kids." he said and grabbed his chair.

xx xx xx xx xx xx

Gibbs was sitting up in MTAC with the Director, going over feed from the operatives that were searching for the bioterror weapons. He had found his focus was much better after his talk with Tony in the elevator. It made it easy to ignore the glances he felt Jacobs giving him. When they let their visitors go for the night, Jacobs offered to stay and go over things with them in MTAC. Vance told him to go get some time in with his family while he had the chance. Gibbs was grateful, especially when he saw the disappointed look on Jacobs' face.

There hadn't been too much solid information yet, but they hadn't expected any. They poured over what little they had, trying to anticipate their enemies' next steps. There were still too many unknown factors. All precautions that could be taken were being taken. They would have more substantial information tomorrow after three of their operatives tried to take their targets in for interrogation in the morning. It was going to be a busy day. Tonight though, Gibbs just wanted to get the hell out of there and get home with Tony.

He left MTAC at 1730, to find his team still in the bullpen. _Great. Looks like I haven't missed all the fun after all._ He headed down to where his team was huddled around the plasma, discussing their case.

"What's going on?" he asked. Tony turned around and couldn't help the bright smile he gave Jethro. He got it under control as quickly as possible.

"Our serial killer is not so serial after all. The two girls are cousins." He went through the explanation with McGee and Ziva tossing in their two cents here and there.

"Okay, so who killed them?" Gibbs said, squinting at the screen.

"That's the best part, Boss. We're pretty sure we already know." McGee said, smiling at Tony, who continued.

"Melinda Stafford is in a psychiatric facility after being given the insanity plea for trying to kill a blonde haired, blue eyed, 17 year old in Illinois six years ago at a community pool. They say she has paranoid delusions, telling the police on the scene that she had to "kill the demon spawn that ruined my life" and was backed up by a team of shrinks. She's nuts, Boss. Completely cuckoo. Will be locked in a rubber room for the rest of her life. We're waiting for her shrink to call us in the morning. She was going to call us at six but we just got word that she's dealing with an emergency case right now." Gibbs looked at his team with a smug smile, obviously pleased with them. Tony felt the satisfaction come over him of a job well done.

"We have looked for all other possible explanations, checked alibis and financial records for Stafford and it puts her in the area for both murders. It looks like we have our killer, Gibbs." Ziva said, a smile on her face and her finger tapping her chin.

"Nice work." Gibbs said with a sigh of relief. He clasped Tony on the shoulder quickly and then turned to his desk. "Get out of here, all of you. You did well with this." Gibbs was grabbing his gun and badge from his drawer and reaching to shut down his computer. The three agents gathered their stuff a little more slowly, watching Gibbs as he rushed to leave.

Tony was watching for the enjoyment of it. Gibbs was rushing out of work to go spend time with him. It made him feel bubbly inside.

The other agents were watching him in amazement as he hurried, under the assumption that he was meeting his "mystery woman". Tony tried to hide his smile and grabbed his stuff, following Gibbs to the elevator. He knew Ziva and Tim were exchanging glances and would most likely gossip a little before actually taking off.

The elevator doors opened and both men stepped inside. They weren't alone though so they checked everything but their smiles and descended into the parking garage. Walking towards their cars together for part of the way, Gibbs confirmed that Tony would be over.

"Going straight there, Boss." he said, looking up and giving Gibbs a quick wink before moving towards his own car. He slid into the driver's seat, tossing his backpack on the seat next to him. He couldn't wait to be at Gibbs' place, kicking back on the couch with him.

Tony felt relieved about how the case had turned out. Not only would two families finally have closure, but Gibbs wouldn't stress about him chasing down a serial killer. He was even more relieved that he had been able to live up to Gibbs' expectations of him as lead on the case so far. He had been nervous as hell that something major would foul up, and he would be left having to explain to his boss and now his lover, about how he had let him down. It gave him a genuinely confident feeling to have jumped that hurdle. Not the type of confidence he wore around the office, the cocky frat boy complex, but real confidence that made him satisfied somewhere deep down.

When Tony pulled into Gibbs' driveway, his silver-haired Marine was just getting out of his car. He saw the smile Gibbs wore as he shot Tony's car a look before heading for the front door. It made him feel even more incredible. He felt grounded in ways he hadn't for a long time, yet lighthearted in ways he had _never_ felt. He thrummed with a pleasant energy and he knew what he wanted to use it on- or who.

Tony grabbed his backpack, then got his go bag from the trunk of his car, and headed inside. "Hey!" he said as he hung his suit jacket on the coat rack by the door and moved to put his gun away in Gibbs' lockbox before he could close it. Gibbs took it from him and unloaded the clip before putting it inside and closing the lid. Tony stood right next to him, taking off his tie and watching Gibbs' face, taking in the blue eyes and letting them work their magic on him.

Gibbs scrambled the dial of the combination and turned, finding himself being stared at. Before he could say anything, Tony had his hands around him, one on his waist, the other behind his head, and pulled him into a deep, breathtaking kiss. Gibbs' hand came up to Tony's shoulder and he held on tight. Tony's lips and tongue were having their way with his lover's mouth and Gibbs had no choice but to submit to him.

Tony's hand ran up Jethro's head, fingers entwining with his hair, pulling just a little until Jethro leaned his head back into it, breaking the kiss. Tony watched Jethro's expression carefully to make sure he was okay with his sudden need to take the lead. What he saw was a man in complete ecstasy.

He leaned in to nip and kiss Jethro's neck, causing a low moaning sound to escape the man. His hands began to roam over Jethro's chest and stomach, moving to his hips, ass and back again. The touch was random, yet sensual. It was firm and demanding but light enough to send shivers through Jethro with every new region being explored.

Jethro raised both of his arms to rest on Tony's shoulders, his hands behind Tony's neck, giving in to the feverish need of his lover, and surprising himself with how much he was enjoying it. Anytime he had tried to turn himself over to anyone else, he couldn't. It hadn't felt right, but this was feeling _very_ right. Tony had him hard with that first kiss, taking what he needed from him with demanding confidence. He had considered the idea that Tony might want to top him someday. He had never really enjoyed being the bottom, but he found himself distinctly craving Tony's control and everything that came with it.

Tony slid Jethro's shirt out of his pants, letting his fingers graze his sides in that tender spot that he seemed to have there. It caused a violent shiver to go through the man and Tony smirked before running his hands up his lover's sides to push his jacket off of his shoulders. Next were the two layers of shirts, a polo and plain white tee, up and over his head. Tony let his nails run down Jethro's arms after he freed him of the shirts, then ran them over his shoulders and down his back, descending again on his neck with his lips, tongue and teeth.

Jethro clung to Tony, pulling his lover closer as he felt Tony's teeth sink harder into his neck. He was probably going to have his first hickey in decades, but he didn't care. In fact, knowing that Tony was marking him heightened the sensation. He felt the low rumble of a moan escape his chest as Tony pulled away, taking Jethro's hand. He gave him a long once over, and then pulled him towards the steps.

Halfway up the stairs, Tony pushed him back against the wall, kissing him hard again. Jethro hadn't had a chance to breathe first, having the wind knocked out of his lungs, and he struggled for breath while getting lost in Tony's kiss, not wanting to pull away, fighting the need for air. Tony finally backed away from Jethro's lips and began kissing down his chest, allowing for his gasping to turn heavy panting.

Tony was blown away by the amount of trust Jethro was suddenly showing in him. He felt like he could do anything he wanted to his lover right now, and he would not only get away with it, but be encouraged to do more. He had never seen Gibbs like this and he prayed that nothing would interrupt them. He wasn't sure he would ever get the man so pliant again as he had him in that moment. Tony tasted the light sweat forming on Jethro's chest as he kissed and licked his way further down.

He kissed his way back up after stopping just before the waistband, earning a groan. Tony smiled that smug smile again and then took Jethro's hand in his, pulling him up the stairs the rest of the way and into the bedroom. He led Jethro to the edge of the bed and after another mind blowing kiss, pushed him back on it.

Tony stood in front of him, looking down on the enticing body lying there, while unbuttoning his own shirt. His eyes met the blue ones staring him down and he felt a spark shoot through him that increased his confidence, letting him know that he was doing everything just right. Tony unbuttoned his pants and crawled up Gibbs' body, straddling him. He felt his own eyes close involuntarily as his groin met Jethro's, their cocks rubbing one another.

"Do you know how incredible you look, just lying there, waiting for me to take you?" Tony asked in a husky whisper, leaning down to kiss Jethro's neck again. He felt the body beneath him quiver and vibrate as Jethro moaned. Tony pulled back to take in the expression on his lover's face, finding the green light he needed.

After that, there was no stopping Tony. He kissed his way down Jethro's body with renewed passion and fire, suckling and biting in ways that made Jethro's hips buck. Tony's hands moved to Jethro's thighs to hold them down. "There will be plenty of time for that in a minute." Tony reprimanded and then pulled on his lover's pants, taking them with him as he stood. He let his own fall to his feet, his boxers going with them.

The hairs stood up on the back of Jethro's neck as Tony reached forward and ran his nails gently down his legs, beginning at the inner thigh and stopping at his ankles. "God, Tony. How do you do that?" he asked, still amazed that his lover could emit such a reaction in him doing something that he hadn't let anyone do in twenty years.

"It's not hard when you want it so bad," Tony said, giving his lover the confident smile of someone pushing _all_ the right buttons.

Tony's own erection was becoming painful, aching for release. He tried to think about something innocuous as he sifted through the drawer in the bedside table for some lube. He found it and held it up with a smirk. "Same stuff I use. How about that?" Tony said, looking down at a slightly embarrassed looking Jethro. "Oh, is _that_ a 'loaded question' as well?" Tony asked with a smirk and crawled back on top of Jethro's flushed body. "I think it is," he said as he bent to kiss the lips waiting there. "Another time, though. Right now, I just want to make you feel incredible, and I know just what you want." Jethro let out a sound suspiciously like a whine. Tony bent to whisper in his ear. "Don't worry- I'm going to make you feel so good, you'll never second guess how I feel about you ever again."

"Tony..." Jethro gasped, letting out a moan.

Tony sat up and ran his fingers down Jethro's stomach, but this time he didn't stop when he got to the older man's groin. He took his fingertips and ran them along the bottom of Jethro's cock, making him gasp sharply and thrust up off the bed.

"Damn, Tony!" _How in the hell did I get this sensitive? Every little touch makes me want to come!_ Jethro thought, trying to get his body under control.

Tony found great pleasure in the way he was making Jethro squirm. It was nothing compared to what he was about to do, though. Tony took in the way Jethro looked with his eyes closed in hungry anticipation. It was incredible and he knew he would remember it for the rest of his life.

He lubed up a couple of fingers and positioned himself so he could access Jethro's rear. He had completely expected that Jethro would tense as he reached to start tracing the muscular rim, but instead, Jethro went limp in relief. Tony was taken aback. He had never been with anyone who didn't have that apprehensive moment when the first contact was made with their anus. He was positive that _he_ had never _relaxed_ into the first touch.

That heavy feeling of trust swept over him again and his mood changed. He wasn't just about to fuck Gibbs- he was about to make love to Jethro. The confidence was replaced by a sense of honor and his clean hand reached up to find Jethro's, lacing their fingers together.

Jethro's eyes opened in surprise and saw he the change in Tony. It only made him want him more. The expression on his face was intense and he could read every thought that coursed through it. Tony's eyes burned into his and Jethro felt the gaze in his chest as his heart pounded even harder. He felt Tony's finger slide in to bury itself inside of him and he threw his head back against the bed with a groan. He wanted more immediately.

Tony pumped his finger in and out of him while making small circles with his wrist, effectively opening Jethro up to take a second finger. Tony got the second finger in and reached to find Jethro's prostate. He grazed it and sent Jethro into another convulsion off the bed, his hips thrusting so hard that Tony's fingers were jerked out of him, and the fingers on his other hand lost feeling with how hard Jethro clasped them. Tony didn't care though. His fingers made their way back in and began scissoring him open slightly. It didn't take long for a third to be added, which made both men moan. Tony began finger fucking Jethro's ass slowly.

A whine escaped the older man's throat and then in a much lower voice Tony heard Jethro's plea. "Tony, please! I can't take... I need you..."

Tony sat up on his knees and bent to kiss Jethro's gaping mouth. Their tongues tangled, turning and twisting in one another's mouths. Tony's fingers slipped out of Jethro and reached for the lube. He had a hard time opening it with his sticky hand, but he wasn't about to give up the other one from Jethro's grasp. He let it drop cold globs into his palm from the awkward angle his fingers held it, and then rubbed it on his throbbing member. He gave himself two good strokes to smear it appropriately and then guided the head towards Jethro's ass.

Once Tony's slick cock slid between his lover's tight ass cheeks, Jethro opened his eyes to stare into Tony's. Tony stared right back, not letting himself blink so that he could watch Jethro's face as he pushed the head into him. Jethro shuddered hard and their eye contact was lost. Tony's own head shot back as he ground his teeth, holding back his orgasm. It had been a long while now since he had topped a man and he had forgotten how tight, warm and just so damn fantastic it was. It was ten times better with Jethro though. He could feel Jethro's pulse racing through his fingers and could smell the sawdust and coffee scent that Gibbs carried with him that always managed to calm Tony. He was suddenly overwhelmed with a million emotions flooding him. He let them feed his passion for his partner, solidifying their connection as he slid deeper into him, craving the fulfillment of their merging.

Tony watched as Jethro's eyes fluttered a little despite themselves and saw the intense pleasure written on his lover's face. He bent to kiss those tempting lips, feeling himself slide even deeper, not thinking that was going to be possible but moaning as he found it was. Jethro's free hand reached up to hold Tony to him as they kissed. Tony slowly began pumping into his lover, setting a gentle pace while the kiss lingered on, both men moaning into each other's mouths.

Tony's pace picked up gradually as they kissed, sucking each other's lips and tasting one another. It became harder and harder to keep their mouths connected and finally, Tony was thrusting hard, deep and fast into Jethro, eliciting moans and growls from him as he thrust back against his lover, making Tony groan.

Tony reached his free hand down to stroke Jethro's cock as he realized he was close to coming. He started at the base and gave him a long hard stoke before beginning a series of faster strokes, grazing the tip of his head to gather the precum there, waiting to go to work. Another couple of minutes of stroking and pumping and Tony knew he wasn't going to last much longer.

"Come with me, Jethro. Let it go for me..." he said through his panting. He felt Jethro's back arch off the bed, having just been waiting for permission. Tony heard his name being bellowed, causing his own orgasm to enrapture him. He shook violently as he came deep inside Jethro, a long, low groan escaping him. He collapsed forward onto the man below him when his knees gave out, barely managing to catch some of his weight on his hands before hitting Jethro's chest, heaving deep breaths and feeling Jethro's own deep gasps.

They lay like that for over ten minutes, just trying to breathe and make their way back to their bodies. Once Jethro could finally find the energy, he put his arms around Tony, holding him in position as he lay against him. "That was incredible," he whispered into the dark room, then kissed Tony's head as it nodded against his chest.

Tony's hands found enough strength to clasp onto Jethro's muscular upper arms, near his shoulders. "You're incredible," he replied softly, still partially out of it. "So fucking incredible."

They laid like that for another half an hour, entranced with simply holding one another. They hadn't spoken or moved, other than Jethro running his hand through Tony's hair and occasionally kissing his head. They were just enjoying being together. Neither could remember the last time they were so happy.

Jethro's mind was running a million miles an hour, though. He had been wanting to say something for twenty minutes now, and he was fighting himself. He didn't doubt how he felt, just what Tony's reaction would be. He finally worked up the courage and opened his mouth.

"Will you answer my question now?" he asked gently.

Tony looked up at him, glazed green eyes meeting shining blue ones, and nodded. "Sure," he said, his curiosity out-weighed by the concern he felt at the nervous look on his lover's face.

Jethro took a deep breath and watched Tony's face for a long moment, tracing his lips with a fingertip, before he found the ability to move his mouth again. Finally the words slipped out on a breath.

"Are you in love with me?"


	7. Chapter 7

Tony pushed himself up on his hands, one on each side of Jethro and looked down at his lover. He was in shock. He knew it was written all over his face, but he was in total disbelief that those words had just come out of Jethro's mouth. Of all questions he could ask, he would have to ask a big one like that.

"That's one hell of a loaded question Jethro," he said, eyes wide, terrified of answering. "Do you want the short answer or the long version?" Tony watched as Gibbs tried to control his emotions, failing a little. He looked nervous and perhaps even scared, almost regretful. Tony realized that it had taken a lot for Jethro to ask and he was being a moron by not just saying the first thing that came to his mind- the first thing that he _should_ have said. He shook his head at himself before Jethro could answer and placed a finger on his lover's lips before he could speak.

"Yes." The word came out certain and clear, Tony's eyes looking straight into the blue ones staring back at him with a hint of vulnerability.

Gibbs watched as the tension fell from Tony's face to be replaced by truth as he let every mask and wall drop. At first, Jethro had panicked at Tony's reaction, thinking that he had asked too soon, that Tony might not be where he was yet. He watched as Tony fought back the urge to hide behind the same walls that he, himself, was used to putting up. Gibbs was proud of Tony, and incredibly relieved at the same time. He believed he could float away with how light and happy he felt at Tony's admission.

Tony took in the way Jethro's baby blues scanned his face in joyful surprise, memorizing the moment. Jethro's hand came up to trace the side of Tony's face with his fingers before sliding along the back of his head to pull him down towards him for a kiss. It was gentle, lips grazing lips, and then Jethro's tongue slid between Tony's lips, opening them to slowly explore his mouth; that beautiful mouth that just answered one of the hardest questions he had ever asked in his life, with the perfect response.

Tony dissolved into the kiss, not needing to ask the question back, finding the answer there in Jethro's lips. The tender intensity between them at that moment could mean nothing different. Together, they explored each other's bodies as if they were learning them for the first time, fingertips touching gently, causing a soft trembling with each touch, each skim. It wasn't about sex; it was about being connected to one another and making each other feel like they were wanted, needed, and open.

There was nothing like this in Tony's past. He had never allowed another person in this far, this deep. He felt like was finally getting his happy ending, while knowing he was just starting a new chapter. All of the hollow pieces of his life were just filled in, and so many of the nightmares chased away. He didn't want the moment to end.

Jethro was holding onto Tony for dear life. He'd had this once, and it had been taken from him. He wasn't going to let that happen again. Nothing would ever take Tony from him, and he vowed on everything sacred in his life to protect his lover. He knew at that moment that he would give up everything for Tony, defend their relationship against every other aspect of his life. Job, friends, colleagues... none of it mattered next to Tony.

Jethro pulled back from the kiss and ran his hand through Tony's hair. Their bright eyes met and Tony smiled down at him. He felt the same look on his own face. "I love you, too, Tony," he said. Tony's eyes couldn't leave Jethro's. His smile got even brighter and his arms went around Jethro's torso, clinging to him tightly, feeling strong arms come around him just as snugly. His chin was propped on Jethro's chest and they just stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Tony turned his head, ear to Jethro's heart, and the two men fell asleep like that, holding each other.

* * *

Gibbs woke up to find the clock reading a little after 0300. Tony was still lying on him, sleeping. Gibbs ran his hand gently through Tony's hair, a delirious smile on his face. He contemplated how they had ended up like this. Was it really only a few days ago that they had finally given in to the gravitation they had towards each other? It seemed so much longer.

Gibbs thought back over the past few nights. They had begun with his attempt to get Tony past his St. Patty's day blues, and then ended up having a great night together with their makeshift family, and eventually just each other. There was the unbelievable feeling of waking up together the next morning, knowing that Tony had stayed, hadn't run away. Neither did he. He could have hidden in the basement or been gone the next morning before Tony had gotten up, but he stayed right there with him, letting this happen, letting this make it past the one night stand stage. It was mutual; they had wanted each other.

In just a matter of a few days, Tony had turned his world upside down, and he was loving every minute of it. He had told Tony months ago that there was more to life, and that he should be looking for it. He had no idea they would actually find it in the other.

 _When did that happen? How did I not see this coming?_ he asked himself. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment. It had been gradual, and all of the thoughts that he had ever had about himself and Tony together seemed like such a far-fetched dream that he never considered them seriously.

Tony had come into his life ten years ago, and knocked him on his ass, both literally and figuratively. He had always been something special, and Gibbs had known right away that he was going to be an important person in his life. How important wasn't clear to him until this week. The emotions he had been developing over time merged with the incredible lust he had been building over ten years for the man in his arms, and now there was no going back. He was head over heels in love with his second in command.

He kissed Tony on top of the head and tried to slide out from under him to go take a leak. Tony shifted a little but clung tighter.

"I'll be right back. Just gotta piss." Jethro said with a soft chuckle, running his hand through Tony's hair.

"No. You need to stay here." Tony nuzzled his head into Gibbs' chest. Jethro took in the scene with warmth, but he really had to go.

"I'll be right back," he said, moving to get out of bed, taking Tony halfway with him, making him laugh. "Come on! You're going to make me piss myself!" he told him. Tony let go, smiling with his eyes still closed and rolled back up into position on the bed.

"Hurry back. Cold."

Gibbs stopped for a quick moment at the bathroom door to watch while Tony gathered the blankets up around him, trying to find a good position in which to go back to sleep. He took care of business and made his way back to bed.

Tony was lying, facing away from Gibbs, but he wasn't asleep yet. "I set the alarm on my phone."

Jethro smiled to himself as he pressed his body against Tony's back, wrapping him in his arms. He knew that the coffee maker would wake him up most mornings, but he wasn't sure if it was going to be able to do the trick the morning after a night like tonight. He kissed Tony's neck and then whispered in his ear. "I love you, Tony." Jethro's eyes closed in contentment as he let the words fall out so naturally.

Tony smiled bigger than he knew he could and snuggled back into Gibbs' warmth. "I love you, too, Jethro."

Gibbs' nuzzled into Tony's neck, breathing him in, wishing he could stay like that forever. He let himself drift into sleep knowing that he might not have the chance to sleep much over the next couple of days.

Tony felt the change in Gibbs' breathing and knew he had fallen asleep. He laid there a long time listening to him, feeling him around him and against him, and just enjoying being with him. Love. Never thought he'd actually get a crack at that again, and now that he had it, it felt like nothing he had ever had before. He had loved Jeanne and Wendy, but it was nothing compared to what he was feeling with Jethro. This was worth fighting for in ways he had never been willing to fight for anything.

Every broken piece of his life was healed that night with those words, from this man, who had chosen him, knowing his imperfections, his insecurities, and his least attractive qualities. He was also the one person in the entire world that Tony had let see his best side and who was willing to dig to find it. Jethro had plucked Tony from the chaos and pulled him into the fold, given him direction, spent the time on him, and in turn, Tony felt like a better person all the way around.

He fell asleep knowing that life had just gotten a whole lot better.

* * *

Gibbs woke up nuzzling Tony's neck at the sound of the alarm. Tony reached for his phone to turn off the offensive noise and was quickly pulled back against the surprisingly hard body behind him. He struggled to turn around to face Gibbs. Once the older man realized what he was trying to do, he let him go enough to allow it. Tony smiled, feeling loved to the core.

"I could stay here all day with you." Gibbs said, arms back around Tony's body, head buried back in his neck.

"Mmm. That sounds incredible. We should do that once the op is over. Spend a day in bed- an entire day. Weekend, weekday, whatever. Just a whole day, you and me, blankets and lube..." Tony's mind began to wander and Gibbs opened his eyes with a smirk.

"Careful there tiger, we don't have time for where that train of thought will lead," he joked.

Tony sighed. "True. Sad, but true." He watched his lover's happy expression. "How did I get so damned lucky?" he asked.

"Hell if I know!" Gibbs joked and Tony smacked his arm playfully. Gibbs leaned in and kissed him gently, careful not to cause any sparks.

"Mmm." Tony hummed back in appreciation. They stared for a moment longer until the snooze went off. Tony rolled over to grab his phone with a groan. He turned back to Gibbs once it was silenced. "Sooo... you're going to be busy with the op tonight aren't you?" He felt deflated and let down, realizing that this was going to be his first night alone since he and Jethro had gotten together. The only solace was seeing that Gibbs felt the same way.

"Most likely. The time difference is a pain in the ass." Gibbs let his hand move across Tony's chest.

"Speaking of "pain in the ass"," Tony said with a shy smile, "You feeling okay today?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Any pain I might feel today, will only remind me of how great last night was. Don't worry." Tony buried his face Gibbs' in neck.

"Damn terrorists. They need to leave us alone so we can stay in bed all day!" Tony said, muffled by his face being planted half in a pillow and half in Gibbs' shoulder. Gibbs smiled and kissed the side of Tony's head.

"Love you."

Tony sighed deeply and then pulled away from Gibbs' neck. "Love you, too," he said with a smile and then kissed his lover quickly. "But we really need to get up." Both men groaned as they rolled over to get out of bed. Tony was working out the kinks in his back and knee, and Gibbs felt the pain from last night's excursion with his first step, but instead of wincing, he smiled. _It will get easier with practice,_ he thought to himself with a smirk, making his way to the door to go find coffee while Tony showered.

An hour and a half later, the two men walked into the building together, chatting and laughing about what the circumstances would have to be in order for Gibbs to drink his coffee other than black. They had started off with the typical, "at gunpoint" and worked from there. Tony had just asked Gibbs if he would rather drink his coffee "Tony-style" or get hit in the head with a golf club again.

"Are you kidding me? Golf club. I've already lived through that once, know I can do it." Once the elevator doors opened and they were heading out into the bullpen, they shelved the conversation. Their smiles, though, were not so easy to hide. Tim was already at his desk, watching them both with interest.

"Good morning, Tony, Boss." he greet them, trying to hide his suspicions. They were both looking especially happy. McGee smiled to himself, enjoying being surrounded by people as happy as he felt. He let his own glee show a bit, feeling like he was part of some secret happy society. He had something good in common with Tony and Gibbs, of all people. It just made what was happening between him and Abby all the better.

The three men sat quietly at their desks, going through their paperwork. Tony and McGee were working on their reports for the Kenthauser care. Tony was also preparing for the phone interview with Melinda Stafford's shrink. Gibbs was looking over the itinerary that Vance had sent him for their day in MTAC.

The elevator doors dinged and a moment later Ziva came around the corner of their cubicles and moved to sit behind her desk, a smile on her face as big as all of their own. Tony looked up at her and noticed the grin. "Well, well! Looks like Probette is having a good morning! And how is Dion, Ziva?" Ziva shot him a glare but could not hide her smile.

"He sends his love, Tony." Gibbs snickered from his desk and Tony could only chuckle and turn back to his paperwork. Tim and Ziva shared a look after glances to both Gibbs and Tony. All four agents attempted to bury themselves in their work, but Tony kept glancing at Gibbs, and Gibbs kept glancing at Tony, and Tim stole glances at all three of them, and Ziva did the same. At one point, they all looked up at the same time.

"What?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothing," the others said all at once and then went back to their paperwork. One more round of glances and Gibbs was sighing and getting up from his desk, not able to hide his smile. "I'm in MTAC for the rest of the day. Kenthauser and then cold cases. Tony's in charge." Gibbs had a folder in one hand, coffee in the other and he headed up the stairs.

As soon as Gibbs was through the MTAC door, Ziva got up to go to Tony's desk. His phone rang and he answered it, putting her off. She moved to Tim's desk for a brief moment and they said something with a glance towards Tony, but then both went back to work.

Tony finished his conversation with the shrink, confirming information and giving her the description of their scenario. Apparently, Stafford had spoken in sessions about the murders, but they weren't the only ones. She had grandiose stories about multiple murders that they found hadn't happened once looked into. She couldn't find any information on Stafford killing her granddaughters because the adoptions had been closed and she didn't know their last names. How Stafford obtained the information, she didn't know. Stafford began hurting nurses and maintenance staff, so she was put under heavy sedation. Once medicated, she was pretty out of it all day, every day, and talking in sessions didn't happen so much anymore.

Tony arranged for the tapes of the session where the confession was made to be sent to him for evidence and then called the DA to discuss the next steps. Once all of the red tape was cleared, he looked over at his probies. "You guys wanna drive up the coast to Boston?" he asked. They looked at him in intrigued confusion.

"Why would we go to Boston? Aren't the videos being sent here?" McGee asked.

"Yeah, McGenius, but I thought you might want to be able to tell Senator McGaffey in person about how we have solved his daughter's murder." The light bulb went off over Tim's head and he looked at Ziva.

"What do you think? Wanna take a road trip?" Tim asked.

"Sure, sounds fun." Ziva said with a smile at Tony. Tony nodded.

"I'm going to drive into Manassas and tell Leona Cusack. Need to stay close so Boss has someone to chew out once he finds out we all went AWOL," he said, smiling his goofiest smile at them. "Head on up, crash for the night and then head back tomorrow. See you in here bright and early on Friday morning." Ziva looked at Tim and got up, swinging her backpack over her shoulder. McGee started shutting down his computer.

"You guys can grab the videos we need to finalize the case while you're up there," he said, writing the address on a Post-It and handing it off to Ziva. "Then when you get back, you can finish up your reports. It's not official until we review that tape anyway, so they can wait."

Tim looked at Tony. "You sure you don't wanna come with us?"

"Yeah. I don't really feel like a long drive. You guys go, enjoy. Let me know how it goes with McGaffey." McGee nodded at Tony and he and Ziva headed out arguing about who was driving, leaving Tony alone in the bullpen to write up his report.

Tony stared at the photos of their two victims, their mothers, and Melinda Stafford. They all looked so similar. They were beautiful women. Tony felt a piece of him settle inside as he realized they were finally laying them to rest. _This is why I do this job,_ he thought to himself. He imagined Ziva and McGee sitting down with McGaffey in the morning to tell him the news. He kind of wished that he could be there to see it. The man had reached out for justice for many since his own daughter's death; he deserved an answer.

Half an hour later, Tony texted Gibbs to let him know what he had decided to do. He didn't get anything back, but he hadn't expected to. Gibbs was swamped and though he may have texted Tony a couple of times about personal matters, he was still a long way off when it came to work texts. He didn't think Gibbs would have a problem with McGee and Ziva's road trip. Driving meant travel expenses would be light and they were going to be stuck on cold cases anyway. Tony would be able to keep working alone, which was when he worked best.

An hour later, a good portion of his report was finished and he was rifling through his email for the observation Ducky had typed up for him. He sent it to the printer and stood to fetch it when he noticed the guard coming through with the group of people Gibbs had been working with, including Jacobs. Tony ducked his head to hide the scowl and pulled his papers off the printer.

He felt the jealousy in his bones and fought it down. He knew that Gibbs was his, and Gibbs knew Tony was his, but Jacobs needed to be told his place. Tony knew, however, that he wasn't the one that should do it. It would give them away and they couldn't let that happen. He chewed a pencil horizontally between his teeth. It broke between his teeth, and he threw it away, spitting out the splinters. He had to let it go. He had never been the jealous one. He had always been the one warned away. Now that he knew how it felt, he understood it and wished he would have done some things a little differently.

Making a few phone calls, Tony found out that Leona Cusack wouldn't be back from a business meeting in Philly until the morning. He decided he would try to meet her at her home before she was due into work at noon. If he missed her, he could always find her at work.

He buried himself in casework through lunch and cold cases until it got dark. He hadn't heard from Jethro or seen him all day and he decided it was time to head home. He took a moment to send Gibbs a text before getting his stuff together.

_Heading home. Miss you. You know where I'll be if you want me. Love you._

Tony gathered his stuff and made a pit stop at the bathroom. As he came back to turn off his desk lamp, he heard the door open in MTAC and a series of voices began to flow from it. The door closed again, cutting off the noise and Tony saw Gibbs bounding down the steps, smiling. Tony matched him grin for grin and sat his stuff back down as Gibbs rounded the corner and stopped in front of Tony's desk.

"Wish I could kiss you," he whispered, causing Tony to smile even wider.

"Wish you could do more than that." Tony said, causing the side of Gibbs' mouth to curl in his trademark smirk.

"We're breaking for dinner. I have a little over half an hour."

"Well, then, let's go!" Tony said cheerfully, picking up his bag. They headed towards the elevator and Gibbs passed it, making for the stairwell. Tony followed him, curious about the change. It didn't take long for him to find out. They were both well aware of security's limited view in the stairwell and as soon as they went around the blind bend, Gibbs had Tony pulled towards him and locked in a desperate kiss.

Tony hummed in contentment as Gibbs pulled away from him just enough to look him in the eyes.

"I missed you, too."

"I can tell," Tony replied.

"And that was a nice thing to do, sending Tim and Ziva to Boston. I think McGaffey will appreciate it and it could do the kids some good." Gibbs smirked a little when he said "the kids" and Tony shook his head with a smile.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Gibbs?" Tony asked with faux suspicion.

Gibbs smiled and looked Tony up and down. "You tell me. You're the one that's taken him prisoner."

"You just keep surprising me, Jethro. I hope you always do." He leaned in, stealing another kiss. "I really am starving though, so we should go grab some food."

"At least you got lunch today!" Gibbs joked, turning to continue towards the garage.

"Actually, I didn't. I got busy and forgot about lunch." Tony admitted.

Gibbs stopped and turned towards Tony before opening the door. "Maybe _I'm_ the bad influence on _you_ ," he said, appraising Tony from head to toe.

"Whatever kind of influence you are on me, Jethro, I'm liking it!" They smirked at each other and made their way to Gibbs' car. They grabbed dinner at the deli down the road they liked, and brought it back with them. Their conversation in the car was mostly work related. Tony hadn't pushed Jethro for details on the case, but Jethro told him that things were looking up. He consoled Tony about Jacobs, saying that he had been fairly distant after hearing their conversation the night before. That made Tony feel a lot better.

They pulled into the lot and Gibbs parked in the darkest spot he could find, in the loneliest corner of the parking garage. "I don't know if I'll be off before midnight tonight, but if I am, you might hear me come in," he said, not looking at Tony, but his hand, where he was interlacing their fingers.

"I'd really like that." Tony said.

"If I don't get off before midnight... well that..." Gibbs' started, still not able to look Tony in the face. Tony noticed and moved a finger under Gibbs' chin so that he had to look back.

"If you don't, it's going to suck- really bad. I'm not looking forward to spending the night away from the man I love." He said it so matter-of-factly that Gibbs was surprised.

"How did you get into my head? When did I let that happen?" he asked.

"You let that happen a decade ago, when you sat in a Baltimore police department. I've just fine tuned it since then." Tony smiled and got one in return. Gibbs leaned in to kiss him and after a short and sweet back and forth tongue exchange, Gibbs leaned in to hug Tony. "I'm definitely the lucky one," he whispered in Tony's ear, then let him go to get out of the car. Tony shook his head and grabbed his stuff. By time he got out, Gibbs was already heading for the elevator. He watched him for a minute and then headed for his own car. He unlocked his phone and texted Gibbs.

_Love you._

He turned the key in the ignition and headed home.

* * *

Gibbs began eating his sandwich in the elevator. He heard his phone chirp and smiled, shaking his head. _It has to be Tony,_ he thought. He slid the phone out of its pocket and opened it.

_Love you._

Gibbs tapped the speed dial for Tony as he emerged from the lift. Tony answered as Gibbs started up the steps to MTAC. "Yes?" he said cheerfully, trying to maneuver out of the garage while talking on the phone.

"Got your text. I love you, too."

There was a short pause. "Hey, Jethro?"

"Yeah?" he replied, stopping at the top of the steps.

"I don't care what time tonight. If you want to be here, be here." Tony said seriously.

Gibbs smiled and ducked his head a little. "Sounds good to me," he said softly. "See you then. I'll try not to wake you."

"I'd prefer it if you did." Tony answered, seriously, with no hint of sexual innuendo

"I can do that." Gibbs said, his smile sloppy. "I'll text you when I'm on my way over, that way if you're asleep I don't scare the shit out of you."

"Okay. See ya then. Good luck tonight." Tony replied.

Gibbs smiled. "Thanks. Love you."

"Love you, too." Tony said, smiling and tapping out a happy rhythm on his steering wheel. He was never going to get tired of saying that. He finally had someone who wanted to hear it from him, and deserved to. He had Jethro.

Gibbs hung up the phone and turned to walk into MTAC when he heard the sound of his name. He turned to find Leon walking slowly down the hallway, a smile on his face.

"Sounds like your phone call went better than mine," he joked.

Gibbs raised his eyebrows at the director, trying to hide his smile and be angry, but he just couldn't. "Yeah, went pretty well."

"Jackie is probably one of the most understanding women on God's green Earth, but even she has those days where she just can't handle the hours." Vance looked at Gibbs for a reply, fishing for more information out of him.

Gibbs couldn't help but oblige a little in his happiness. "Don't think I have to worry about that this time." He left Vance standing at the door, a surprised look on his face as he entered MTAC.

Upon entering, they found their three out of town guests chatting in a huddle. Jacobs was nowhere to be found. The clock read 1830 on the wall and any minute now, the first satellite session would begin with their coverts. "Where the hell is Jacobs?" Gibbs asked, turning towards Vance.

"Not sure. He left just a few minutes after you did. I thought maybe you guys went to grab something together, catch up, but then you came back alone." Vance gave him an investigating stare, remembering the phone conversation he had heard part of. He couldn't believe Gibbs was in love again. This was going to be wife number 4. _Well, fifth, but I suspect he's never really stopped being married to the first Mrs. Gibbs._ He had never seen Gibbs like he saw him tonight on the phone. He was happy, and it threw off every bit of his profile.

Shaking his head at the knowing smile that crept across Leon's face, Gibbs went back out into the hallway. He saw Jacobs leaning against the railing, looking down at the bullpen with a serious concentration. "Jacobs! Come on. You're late."

Gibbs turned and scanned himself back in, opening the door for them to re-enter. He headed straight for the console, checking to make sure their first operative was ready. Evelyn looked up at him, meeting his eyes with a nod and a thumbs-up, but no words. Gibbs nodded in return with a bit of an inner smile. It had taken her a year to finally get comfortable making some bit of eye contact with him.

Jacobs didn't have a problem with looking at him, though. Gibbs felt his stare on him and rolled his eyes to himself. He turned towards the screen and completely ignored the younger man. Things had been going so much better, why was this starting again?

The screen came to life with a live video feed of one of their agents in Syria, and for the next five hours, information came in about who the major players had been before the raids that morning. There was chaos in the supply chain. No one trusted anyone any longer. This meant that the people who really knew where the bio tech was weren't talking to anyone, and their names were being shouted from the rooftops to be tracked down by their buyers who felt betrayed.

They were talking to their last rep, a CIA operative that shared a particular distaste for Kort, and had bonded with Gibbs over it in an odd way. "I wouldn't be surprised, Agent Gibbs, if we considered dropping a big glass dome over the Middle East and ducking for cover." Gibbs smirked but shook his head.

"I'm awaiting orders on what to do with my unwilling informant," he continued, not showing any of the typical sadistic glee Gibbs was used to seeing on the faces of other CIA ops that mentioned the men and women they tortured for information. Gibbs had to hold back a smile, thinking, _This man works for the wrong part of the alphabet._

Vance handled the big question. "Can you arrange a transport to get him to Gitmo discreetly without blowing your cover?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. There may be one way, but it's honestly more dangerous than I'm afraid it's worth." Vance looked at Gibbs who remained stony. There had been so much death already, but he knew what was coming next. Leon nodded at the screen.

"Do what you feel is best for national security, Agent Meisner." Vance had pretty much just given a man the license to kill and he felt the weight of the decision sink through him from his head to his feet. Meisner nodded and the screen went blank.

It was about 2330 and the whole group was exhausted. Not only that, but it had become very clear in the discussions tonight that none of them were safe going anywhere near the Middle East. That meant that Vance and Gibbs were going to have a long weekend ahead of them. They exchanged a look of frustration and sat down in the first row of seats next to one another. Gibbs was on the end and Vance was next to him. The four who had been sitting for hours were now up and stretching, mingling in front of the them, waiting to hear what they had to say.

"Tomorrow, SecNav will be here to get each of our takes on the story of what has happened. He'll most likely ask each one of you if you would like to stay here as a refugee until it is safe to return to your country. There are usually a few days given to think it over afterwards. Jacobs, he'll probably reassign you to a unit that won't be in the Middle East for a while. You will probably be able to go back one day if you find yourself in the position to, but don't expect it to be anytime soon."

Jacobs stiffened a little but nodded, looking at Gibbs for confirmation. Gibbs gave a general nod and then turned to look at the expressions on Malek's face, trying to decipher how he felt about being a refugee in the states. Malek however was watching the women for their reactions. They had both been raised strictly Muslim, and though their paths diverged from the traditional route, they were still very modest women stuck in a very modernized country.

Gibbs felt his phone vibrate and it startled him. He reached to his belt for it and flipped it open, holding it down so he could read it, his hand discreetly covering the screen. He was already smiling, knowing it was going to be from Tony.

_Heading to bed. Hope you'll wake me._

He looked up to find everyone staring at him. He cleared his throat and got to his feet. "Are we done here for the night? Gotta get home." He tucked his phone back on his belt and everyone smiled and smirked except for Jacobs who stepped back behind the group to sulk. Vance stood and shook his head, smiling at Gibbs.

"Yeah, Gibbs. Get home. I'll see you all back here tomorrow at 1200. That's when SecNav wants to start the hearing." Gibbs nodded. He tried as hard as he could to wipe the smile off of his face, but couldn't, even when the sad look he was getting from Jacobs twisted something in his gut. He turned to get out of the room, eager to escape this odd, mismatched group of acquaintances and his inability to keep his expression from showing around them.

Gibbs went to his desk for his gun and badge, turning off his desk lamp. He took note that it was now pouring rain and opened his bottom drawer, pulling out his navy blue NCIS jacket that he wore to crime scenes. It had been surprisingly warm this morning, and he hadn't brought his coat with him. This would have to do.

The elevator was quiet and he realized that he was all alone in it for the first time in days. He either had been with other people or with Tony every ride for the past 72 hours. He thought again about what Tony had become to him so quickly and about how that elevator had started being used for a completely different purpose than he was used to. By time the doors opened again, he had to fight down an erection, thinking about all of the things he wanted to do to Tony in that private metal box.

He made the trek to his car in the far corner of the garage with long, quick strides, eager to get to Tony's. He was thinking about how different Tony seemed to him today as he closed the car door. He seemed calmer, grounded, and just so genuine. _Being in charge suits him well,_ he thought. _I should let him do it more often._ Their time in the staircase ran through his head. Tony had skipped lunch, he said, because he was focused on cases. That was the driven Tony that Gibbs loved so much, and that only Gibbs really had the honor of seeing.

It wasn't that Gibbs didn't love playful Tony. He thought about how the younger man had made him smile more and more over the years, and how he had come to rely on his antics to get the team through their tension time and time again. He loved that side of Tony, too. There was just something about Tony's serious side that Gibbs connected with, and that connection was one of the most important things in Gibbs' life. It had been for a long time now. As different as they were, that very important part of each of them was exactly on the same page.

Gibbs pulled into the small lot next to Tony's crappy apartment building. He had the key to each of his agents' apartments. He had never asked for them, but because of Tony, he had them. When Tony started with the team, Gibbs had helped him find a place. Tony didn't know anyone else in DC, so he gave Gibbs his spare key in case he were to get locked out. He remembered that moment in the car when he handed it to him. "Only makes sense, Gibbs. I don't know anyone else around here." Gibbs took it kind of reluctantly, already thinking about the kind of restraint it would take to keep from using it in the middle of the night sometime. Even then, Tony stirred the beast within.

When Tony came back from Agent Afloat, and moved into this apartment, he walked up to Gibbs' desk and handed him a key. Gibbs took it, confused and then it hit him. Tony smiled at him in a way that twisted Gibbs' stomach, and Gibbs took the old key off of his key ring and put the new key on. Tony turned to go back to his desk and the two of them realized that Ziva and Tim had just come into the bullpen from lunch and witnessed the whole thing.

"Uh, key to my new apartment. In case anything happens. You know." Tony tried to make light of it, despite the way he felt about Gibbs' reaction.

"Uh-huh." Tim said and Ziva went to sit at her desk.

"I'm surprised you guys haven't given him yours. Being on this team tends to attract the stalkers. Always a good idea to have someone with a spare key to make sure you haven't been tied up in your bedroom, left to die." Tony stared off into space for a moment. " _That_ one was awkward, eh Boss?" Gibbs spit his coffee out all over his desk. It hadn't really happened that way, but it was definitely awkward.

The next day, both Tim and Ziva had left him copies of their keys on his desk next to his keyboard.

Gibbs smiled fondly at the memory as he slid the key into Tony's lock. Out of the three keys, he had only used Tony's. Having his key was as much of an invitation as it was for Gibbs to leave his front door unlocked. He'd only used it a few times that way, but he was grateful each time to have had it. Gibbs stepped into Tony's apartment, wondering when he had become his lifeline. He dropped his go-bag on the floor outside of the open bedroom door and stood against the jamb, watching Tony sleep. He really was an incredible looking man. He hid behind his designer suits and expensive haircuts, but Gibbs found him sexiest lying just like he was- half naked under the blanket, hair all messed up, lying in bed waiting for him.

Gibbs slowly took off his clothes, as quietly as possible so he didn't wake Tony yet. He was definitely going to wake him, but he wanted to do it in the best way possible. Gibbs stepped silently towards the nightstand and found the lube, then very gently got into bed. Tony was lying face down, sprawled out on the bed. The blankets were down around his waist, exposing his muscular back and arms for Gibbs to take in. He licked his lips in anticipation and slowly bent to nibble on Tony's ear and throat, very tenderly. Tony stirred a little in his sleep, but didn't wake up.

Gibbs was already hard and aching for the delicious man next to him. He was finally sneaking into Tony's bed in the middle of the night to wake him up in the most pleasurable way he could imagine. Gibbs licked Tony's neck to his shoulder, inhaling his scent. He must have showered when he got home. He smelled fresh and clean, and Gibbs tried not to groan at the wave of lust that hit him hard. He didn't want to wait; he just wanted to take him.

Gibbs opened the lube and put some on his fingers. He leaned down to Tony's face, at the same time moving his hand to Tony's ass. His lips found Tony's and began sucking on them, kissing him and nibbling him until he woke slowly and began to join the fun. As soon as Gibbs felt Tony's tongue enter his mouth, he slipped a slick finger between Tony's ass cheeks and pressed against his hole, demanding entrance. Tony gasped into his lover's mouth and moaned. "Oh, God, yes," he breathed and then his hands were around Gibbs' head, pulling him in for a lip smashing, tongue clashing, fiery kiss.

Gibbs' entire body thrummed with a pleasurable ache. He wanted to be inside of Tony immediately, but he wasn't prepped enough yet. He slipped a second finger in and began scissoring Tony open, making him moan and throw his head against Gibbs' shoulder.

"I need you, Tony. I need you so much." Gibbs said into his hair as they both panted hard. Gibbs slipped a third finger into Tony and his head shot up with a groan.

"Please. Just take me. Just..." Gibbs' fingers slid in deeper and grazed Tony's prostate. "OH GOD!" he yelled. "Damn it Jethro! Fuck me!" Gibbs moaned and pulled his fingers out. He moved to crouch over Tony as he remained belly down on the bed, blankets now on the floor, and lubed his leaking cock. Tony shifted to move to his knees and Gibbs pushed him back down via his tailbone, pinning his dick under him so he couldn't move.

Gibbs slid the head past Tony's tight, muscular ring. Tony groaned so low that Gibbs felt the vibration in his lower back where his hand was still pressing the younger man into the mattress. He needed the release Tony offered him; he needed to lose control with him and he knew that Tony wanted him to.

Gibbs let his left hand fall next to Tony's side, the other still pressing on his back and sunk as deep as he could into him. Tony was panting deeply into the pillow, his head craning back to watch Gibbs as he got into position. Gibbs bottomed out, hitting Tony's prostate and they both groaned. After that, there was no slow acclimation. Gibbs began pumping into his lover over and over again, hitting his prostate perfectly at that angle, sending both of them flying. The bed rocked and creaked underneath his efforts and Tony's body ached in a deliciously restrained way. He wasn't getting enough friction on his dick to come, and the way Gibbs kept hitting his sweet spot had him teetering right there on the edge, begging to take the leap.

Gibbs' movements became quicker and harder, and Tony felt like he could explode if Gibbs didn't rip his body apart first. He quivered uncontrollably and felt Gibbs' nails digging into his back where he was pushing him down into the bed. He couldn't move. All he could do was wait for Gibbs to finally come, but he just kept fucking him harder and faster until Tony couldn't take it anymore. He was about to have to tell him to stop when Gibbs finally let go and came, plunging deep into Tony's ass, unloading into him with a sound that sounded half like a wolf howling and a tiger growling. Tony shook, desperate for his own release, suddenly mourning the loss of the pounding he had been taking.

As soon as Gibbs caught his breath, he turned Tony over on his back and bent over him, taking his suddenly freed cock into his mouth. Tony hadn't been expecting that and moaned loudly as Gibbs lips slowly slid further and further down, tongue sliding over the throbbing veins. It had been a spur of the moment decision for Gibbs, but when he turned Tony over and saw his cock spring free, the only thought in his head had been how badly he wanted to suck his lover off and get drunk on what he had to offer.

He slowly moved his head up and down over Tony, making the pleasure excruciating. Tony's fingers twisted themselves up in the longer hairs towards the top of Jethro's head. He wanted to make him go faster, but the sensation he was causing with his slow advances was so incredible he couldn't bring himself to do it. It made him not want to ever let it go. Being on the edge like this was almost like a drug, and he was higher than a kite. He felt the head of his cock hit the back of Jethro's throat and then move deeper. He shuddered and tried to hold back his release.

Gibbs felt Tony holding back, and he was glad. He was enjoying himself and loved the reaction he was getting out of his lover. He backed off and swirled his tongue around Tony's cock, slurping a little as he dragged his lips up and almost to the head, where he let his tongue dip into the slit and fully taste his juices. _Why is he so damn delicious?_ Gibbs thought, thirsty for more. He felt Tony ready to lose it at the way he was lapping his sensitive head, so he quickly descended on him, taking him as deep as he could in his throat and swallowing hard.

Tony came with a thundering yell, pulling Jethro's hair hard, making him lift his head a little, dislodging Tony's cock from his throat. Tony shot a second load into Jethro's mouth and the older man let it play across his tongue before swallowing. A little voice in the back of his head questioned where his recent delight in their sexual fluids had come from, but he ignored it for now to enjoy what he was doing. Tony's hand released Gibbs' head and Gibbs got as much cum as possible off of Tony with his mouth before he fully relinquished him.

They moved so they were next to one another, wrapping arms and legs around one another's bodies. Jethro's arms went around Tony and Tony's went around Jethro before he buried his head in the silver hair on the older man's chest. "I love you, Jethro. That was fantastic."

Gibbs kissed the top of Tony's head. "I love you, too, Tony." They laid there for a long time, sticky and messy and happy until they fell asleep.

It was almost 0600 when Gibbs woke up to the sound of thunder. He pulled Tony closer to him and kissed his shoulder blade. He realized he had gone immediately into protective mode. He wasn't like that until Mike died. Storms put him on edge now. They never used to.

He remembered sitting up with Shannon, watching the rain from the back porch while Kelly went down for her naps the summer he was stationed home. That was a great summer.

He wondered what Shannon would think of him with Tony. She had always been extremely open-minded about his sexual preferences. He never felt comfortable telling his other wives about them. He looked at the fine man in his arms and thought about what he had done with him the night before. It made him hungry for more.

Gibbs' fingers ran through Tony's hair gently as he watched the younger man smile in his sleep. He looked so happy and it made Gibbs feel like he was glowing from the inside out to know that he was able to give him that. He had always known that Tony's happy-go-lucky demeanor was only skin deep. He had seen the mask slip plenty of times and watched the truth reveal itself. Tony tried to live his life positively, though, and that made Gibbs respect and admire him.

Gibbs had always had a hard time being happy when he felt so empty inside without his girls. It had earned him a stoic personality, giving him the neutral or angry persona. He had missed being happy, and he was finally feeling it again. It was like resurrecting a whole part of himself that had died with them, and the man in his arms was responsible.

He leaned down and kissed Tony gently, seeing if he was too deep in sleep to respond to a little early morning incentive. He wanted to connect with the man in his arms again, to make him feel as wonderful as he did. Tony stirred just a little. Gibbs kissed him again, this time letting his tongue slide gently over Tony's soft lips. Tony's eyes fluttered but remained closed and his lips opened a breath's worth to allow Gibbs access.

Gibbs ran his hand down Tony's back, feeling his strength and letting it turn him on even more. He thought about how Tony had him pressed against the wall the other night and how he had felt under his control. He made a much more fervent attempt to wake Tony, deciding that he wanted Tony to be the one taking the lead this time. He began a deep kiss with him, moaning into it as Tony came to life, and then fell on his back, pulling Tony by the shoulder until he was draped over his own body.

Tony really woke up then, knowing immediately what he was being asked for. Tony gave Jethro that look of pleasant surprise for a quick moment and then launched himself at his lover. He was more than happy to possess the man beneath him. He kissed him hard and pulled on his upper lip with his teeth. His hands pressed down on Jethro's shoulders as he moved to straddle him.

"You know, I could get used to waking up like this," he said, bent over Jethro before kissing him again. He pulled back a little and stared into the bright blue eyes glazed with lust below him. "You are so damn hot Jethro. I just have to tell you that. But..." Tony ran his hands down Jethro's shoulders, chest and stomach, his fingers sliding over the muscular ridges he found there. "You're not just a hunky, gorgeous, silver-haired god in my bed." Jethro found himself feeling self-conscious at Tony's words and a little embarrassed. Tony bent to kiss his way down Jethro's chest and stomach and then returned his lips to Jethro's for a soft kiss.

"You're also the most decent, honest, caring man I know, and by far the most important person in my life." Tony's face went serious as he said it, and he ran his hand the down Jethro's chest before meeting the blue eyes that stared back at him lovingly. "Which is why," Tony resumed, back to his joyful demeanor, "you should lie right there and just enjoy what I want to do to you."

Gibbs' head flopped back against the pillow, a smile on his face. _Oh, I am definitely the lucky one._

Tony's hands explored every inch of his lover's body with his hands and his mouth, grazing his teeth down his abs and massaging his arms with his fingers. Tony's tongue ran up the middle of Jethro's stomach and diverged to a nipple, closing his mouth around it, pinching it lightly between his teeth. Jethro's breath hitched, and his hand moved to try and grab Tony's head. Tony's hand stopped him though, and pinned both arms to the bed next to them, never stopping his attack on Jethro's hard nips.

Gibbs loved when Tony immobilized him. He had never enjoyed it before, but he trusted his man enough to allow himself to relax into it instead of fight it. Acknowledging that trust made the sensations Tony was causing him to feel more vibrant. He ached to be handled in a way that he had never wanted before.

Tony was finally done with his assault on Jethro's chest. He reached over to where the lube had been left on the nightstand. Tony watched as Jethro's eyes darkened, and he knew that this is what his lover had been wanting. He felt a surge of confidence as thunder clapped outside, echoing for a long rumbling minute. He felt powerful with Jethro at his mercy.

"I want you," Tony whispered into Jethro's ear, "bent over this bed. Now." A delicious chill went down Jethro's spine and he sat up immediately. Tony got up and came around to the side of the bed that Jethro was standing on and pulled him in for a heated kiss. Jethro tried to bring his hands to Tony's face again and Tony grabbed them by the wrists and held them up above his head. Jethro groaned into the kiss, eager to give in to Tony's demands. Tony pulled back from his kiss and his erection grazed Jethro's making them both shiver.

Tony's hold on Jethro's hands changed and in a quick move, he had the older man face-planted on the bed, feet still on the floor, hands behind his back. "I'm going to let go of your hands, and I want you to put them above your head on the bed. Don't touch yourself or me, just the bed." Tony released the pinned arms and they moved slowly to the place Tony directed. There was a surge of arousal racing through Tony's body at the vision in front of him. He ran his hands down Jethro's back, pressing his erection against his ass cheeks, making them both shake with anticipation. His hands repeated the motion, this time with nails digging hard enough to leave pale pink lines in Jethro's flesh.

Tony heard the quiet moan from below him and relished in it. He picked up the lube from the bed and slicked up his fingers. Without warning, he slid one between Jethro's cheeks and slipped right into him.

Gibbs let himself turn to putty as soon as Tony's finger breached him. It was only the beginning but it was a relief. He didn't realize how badly he had needed this. He lay face down on the bed, eyes closed, tight ass in the air as Tony slowly finger-fucked him.

Tony had felt Jethro relax again as soon as his finger entered him. It was just as amazing to him as it was the first time. Jethro wanted this so badly. Tony didn't waste time, and slipped a second finger in, being welcomed immediately by a soft moan from the mattress. Jethro lay prostrate on the bed, letting Tony take him. Tony smirked and grazed the prostate with his fingers, making Jethro shudder hard against the bed. _That's more like it,_ Tony thought. He made short work of loosening his lover after that and re-opened the lube to slick his cock.

He pressed his wide head against Jethro's willing anus and felt it stretch, taking him right in. "Oh God Jethro, get ready." He watched as Jethro's hands balled up in the sheet below him and he shook his head. That wasn't going to do a damned thing to help him.

Tony pulled back until he was entirely out of Jethro and then slammed back in. Gibbs moaned deeply and Tony did it again, angling himself differently so that he would hit the prostate. Jethro cried out and Tony was lost. He started ramming in and out of Jethro's warm, tight ass, his hands on his lover's hips as he thrust as hard as he figured he could into the man without hurting him. He heard moans and groans from Jethro but tuned them all out until he heard him say "Harder, Tony, harder." Tony couldn't help but comply, slamming harder and deeper into Jethro, who had begun rocking back against each thrust, needing more.

They were both moaning loudly at this point. There was no control left in either of them, both just succumbing to the primal need for release.

Tony felt the orgasm building quickly. He reached down to grab Jethro's balls, squeezing them gently and causing the man to stiffen and come immediately. Tony felt the orgasm rip through him as he came in Jethro, and he let out a guttural yell, pumping twice more into the warm chamber. He fell onto Jethro's back, pinning him to the bed. He kissed the shoulder he found his face against and rolled off of the heaving man below him. They both lay there a long time, catching their breath.

"I am never going to get over why we didn't get together sooner." Tony panted.

"I don't know if we could have handled each other sooner, Tony." Gibbs joked.

"Yeah. You're probably right. I guess everything happens when it's supposed to." Tony said, suddenly off in thought. Gibbs propped himself up on one fist and stared at his lover as he thought.

"You look..." Gibbs said, trying to think of how to put his thought into words.

Tony just turned towards him, not saying anything, waiting for the rest.

"You look perfect, Tony." Tony's mouth opened a little as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't think of what to say to that.

"You look sexy as hell, happier than I've ever seen you, and something has..." Gibbs fought for the words again. "...shifted, in you. You seem different, and whatever that difference is, it makes me want you even more." Tony actually blushed under Gibbs' words, but he turned towards him, propping himself up on his arm as well.

"I am happy; happier than I've ever been in my life, Jethro. You give me that. You are the change." Gibbs looked down at the sheets. Tony's fingers came up under his chin and tapped him so that he would look back up at him. "You have been making me a better man since the day I met you, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I'm just finally worthy of you." Gibbs shook his head at Tony slowly, wanting to say something but unable. Tony nodded back in argument.

"This is exactly how this was supposed to be, Jethro. You look incredibly happy, too. I think we just needed to ripen, mature, and now here we are, the perfect vintage." Mature. That's the word that Gibbs had been trying to find. That's what was different about Tony. He was suddenly so much more mature. It wasn't the pranks and the jokes that made him seem immature to him. Gibbs had actually admitted to himself long ago that he enjoyed Tony's goofiness and antics. What was suddenly so much more mature was the way Tony approached things. He had barely seen the mask that Tony wore since Saturday. He was open, honest, and letting all of the best parts of him show, finally owning them. Gibbs smiled at Tony as he stared back at him with his intense green eyes.

"I love you, Tony."

"I love you, too, Jethro." They stared a moment longer and then Tony pulled Jethro's hand as he shifted up towards the pillows. "Come hold me before we have to get up."

Gibbs smiled at the sudden change in atmosphere. Tony may have finally matured to their perfect vintage, but Gibbs still loved the part of Tony that shone with a glint of childhood innocence, an innocence Gibbs knew Tony had fought long and hard to keep.

He wrapped his arms around Tony's muscular shoulders and chest and pulled him close. He could still smell the fresh scent of shampoo in Tony's hair, mingling with the smells of sweat and sex. They both sighed deeply at the content feeling that swam through them as they settled into the pillows together. The room was completely silent other than the sound of the rain pouring outside the window. Gibbs listened to it fall and smiled. Maybe he could learn to like the rain again, if he could become reacquainted with it through memories like this.


	8. Chapter 8

Tony slipped his trench coat on and handed Gibbs his keys from the table by the door. Gibbs gave Tony a smile and looked down at the keys in his hand.

"Never thought about how often I'd want to use this key when you gave it to me."

Tony stepped towards Gibbs and slid his hands around his waist. "Use it whenever you want to. I like having you here." He leaned in for a quick kiss, but Gibbs didn't let him go.

"Tony?" he asked tentatively, taking the younger man off guard.

"Yeah, Jethro?" Tony asked, concern swelling in his chest.

"What are we going to do about this?"

Tony cocked his head sideways and tried to read Gibbs' expression. He had no idea what he was talking about, but he looked nervous. "About what?" Tony asked softly, holding onto Gibbs' waist a little tighter.

Gibbs' blue eyes looked up into his green ones. "About not wanting to spend the night away from each other."

Tony was taken aback, but in that heart melting, wow-factor kind of way. He had no idea Gibbs could be so sweet, and despite himself, it was sweeping him off of his feet.

"Well," he began, running his hands further around Gibbs so that he pulled him closer into him. "That depends on if you want to slow this down a bit or not." Gibbs' eyes widened immediately, letting Tony know that slowing down wasn't happening. Tony smiled brightly. He didn't want to slow it down either. They had waited ten years to get this point. Slowing down now would be excruciating.

"I don't think we could slow this down if we wanted to, Tony." Gibbs said, shaking his head slightly in wonder.

"No, I don't think we could either. That leaves two other options. We keep going as we are, or we speed things up. I'm enjoying where we are now. You know, the newness, the way I tingle when I smell you come into the room, or that moment when you come around the cubicles at work, smiling that incredibly happy smile that you don't even try to hide from the team, and I know I am grinning the same way… Those are things that I'm afraid will fade over time. I'm terrified they will, actually. I really don't want them to. If we speed things up, we could mess this up."

Gibbs smiled up at Tony's sudden charm and wisdom. "So... what do we do?"

"We spend the night at each other's houses as often as possible, and try not to get caught. This might require you putting a lock on your door. Don't wanna be, you know, going at it and have Fornell walk in on us or something." Tony made a face at the idea and Gibbs chuckled.

"Okay, I can do that." Gibbs' voice dropped to a cheerful hushed tone. "I'll make sure you get a key."

"Sounds perfect." Tony said, leaning his forehead against Gibbs'. They sighed at the same time, arms around each other, and chuckled quietly. "We need to be careful of that at work. I think it will give us away." Tony joked.

"Hell, we've probably been doing it all along and just never noticed." Gibbs said, reaching up to kiss Tony's forehead before he pulled away. Tony let him go and turned to open the door, the perfect peace of the moment filling every inch of him.

Gibbs waited for Tony this time while he locked the door. The gesture wasn't lost on Tony. He was completely surprised though when the older man took his hand as they wandered down the hall towards the steps. He beamed at him and Gibbs looked at their joined hands with a shy smile, but didn't let go. "Constantly surprising me, Jethro," he said, squeezing his hand a little. Gibbs shrugged, not hiding the satisfied smile he wore.

"Good luck with Cusack today." They stopped at the door of the building, not wanting to have to let go of one another yet.

"Thanks. Good luck with the op. Any chance it's going to be over soon so I can have you back?" Tony quipped.

Gibbs shook his head at his lover, still smiling. "It's not going so well. Looks like my friends will be staying in town. Jacobs is going to have to be reassigned. SecNav is coming in today."

"Your friends?" Tony asked, never having heard Gibbs refer to anyone directly as a friend.

"Yeah. Since they're staying, you should meet them. Malek, Talia and Dina. Wouldn't be able to tell them about _this,"_ he said, gesturing to their hands that were still clasped at their waists, "But they were there for me during a tight spot years ago."

Tony nodded, wisely not saying anything to spook the offer. "Sounds fun." He leaned forward and gave Gibbs a quick kiss. They finally let go of one another's hands, Tony giving Gibbs a sad smile. "I'll be taking that back later. Remember that!" He winked at the older man and turned and walked out the front door of his complex to his car.

Gibbs followed him, happily shaking his head as he climbed into his car and buckled up. He felt like he could take on the day ahead now. He was dreading it earlier, but the idea of bringing Tony closer to the situation by introducing him to Malek and the ladies had him feeling surprisingly excited. He knew he couldn't tell them who Tony was to him, but even without bringing up the recent advancements in their relationship, Tony was an important person in his life. He knew it would make Tony happy to be in on the op in his own way, giving him a connection to what was keeping them further apart than they would like to be.

By time he got to the yard, he had begun to wonder about his "one person". He and Tony still hadn't talked yet about who their confidants would be, but he was having a harder time deciding than he thought he would, so he didn't mind. He had originally thought of Fornell, but he knew that Tony wouldn't have allowed that. He really wanted to tell Ducky, but he, himself, had stipulated that it couldn't be someone they worked with. He needed to decide soon though, because he felt like he could burst if he didn't share his happiness with someone. It had been so long since he'd felt anything remotely close to this, and he wanted to let someone in on it.

Maybe he and Tony should talk about it tonight. He really didn't trust anyone with this kind of stuff like he had come to trust Ducky. Maybe he would have to change the rules, as dangerous as that could be.

Gibbs walked into Vance's office, clearing his head with a deep breath. He knew that the first meeting of the hearing would be his and Leon's. He wasn't really looking forward to re-capping the whole event. By not seeing that Connelly was a traitor, he felt like he had seriously warped the op. He couldn't help but smile though, thinking about having Tony's fingers in his as they walked through the hallways of Tony's apartment building this morning. Tony had told him to "remember that", and he decided it would be the talisman to get him through the hardest parts of the day.

Vance greeted him and they moved to the conference table, going over the parts of the op that SecNav wouldn't have been there for, and what they would have to take from the top with him. Two hours later, they were prepared to make it short and sweet, knowing that there were four other peoples' accounts to go through. Gibbs would have to be present for all of them.

"I'm going to take your team off of rotation for the weekend," Vance said as they sat back for a moment. "There's a good chance we'll see movement Friday night and that would interfere. Simmons is going to have to take it, but she's not going to like it. She had some soiree this weekend with her fiancé." Vance didn't look happy at the prospect of telling her, and Gibbs had an idea bloom in the back of his head.

"Then don't take my team off. Let DiNozzo handle it. He's handled the Kenthauser thing well enough, and it's not like I won't be around if he gets stuck." Gibbs knew Tony could handle it for the weekend. Hell, he could handle his own team by now. Gibbs thought about that for a moment and then pushed it to the back of his head. The idea of not having Tony there when they got called out gave him a weird feeling in his stomach.

"You think that's a good idea?" Vance asked, confused by Gibbs turning the team over to his SFA, even if just for a few days.

Gibbs smirked. "Well, yeah Leon. I wouldn't have said it otherwise. He'll be fine."

"You know, I've always wondered why he turned down Rota. Any insight on that?" Vance was asking for a professional opinion, but everything in Gibbs was tied up in his personal feelings. He cleared his throat and reached for his coffee, pretending to be lost in thought.

"You should probably ask _him_ that, Leon." _I'm just glad he didn't go,_ he thought. He hid behind another drink of his cold coffee, trying not to wince thought of Tony not being stateside.

"I wish I could capture what your team has in a bottle and feed it to every other team I've got Gibbs. Don't know if I could handle another of each of you, but the way you all fit together, as utterly different as you all are, just works." Vance was determined to take advantage of the new and improved, slightly more open Gibbs, and try to discover what the missing link was that so many of his teams suffered from. He had thought for a long time that it was based on putting certain personalities together, but he had tried to match it and had disastrous results.

The key was Gibbs' relationships with his team members. Specifically, he had it narrowed down to how Gibbs could be such an ass and yet have people so loyal to him. Whatever caused that loyalty was what his other teams needed, and he wanted to know how it had been earned.

Gibbs shook his head a little at Vance's probing and praise. "I trust him, Leon. He'll do fine. Let Simmons have her ball."

Vance smiled and shook his head. _Thwarted again._

"I'm going to go grab some coffee and something to eat before SecNav gets here." Gibbs got to his feet and took his empty cup with him to the door, waiting a minute before grabbing it this time so that he wasn't pulling a locked knob.

He reached for his phone as soon as he was through the waiting room where Pam sat smiling at him. He flipped open the phone to read the text from Tony that had vibrated his hip an hour earlier. There were multiple waiting for him that he hadn't known had come through.

_At the hospital with Leona Cusack. It shocked the hell out of her and I think she's having a heart attack._

_Doctors said that she's alright. Not a heart attack, but they want to do some tests on her._

_Her business meeting hadn't gone well. Lots of stress in her life right now. I've talked to her again. She has our info if she needs to get in touch with us. I offered help, she declined._

_McGaffey's been notified. McGee and Ziva both seem pretty happy with his reaction. They are getting the videos and coming home._

_God, I miss you._

Gibbs was leaving the building as he read the last one, and the huge smile that branded itself across his face followed him to the coffee cart, throwing off the barista.

* * *

Tony was back in his car, running his hands through his hair in a way that he realized he had picked up from Gibbs. He smiled to himself, and took out his phone to text Gibbs again.

_God, I miss you._

He had just talked to Leona Cusack for the second time. The notification hadn't gone quite as he had expected.

Tony had knocked on the door, his badge in hand. A woman with fair hair answered that he recognized immediately as Leona Cusack. She looked upset and angry. He tried to smile a little, but her demeanor discouraged it. He introduced himself and asked if he could talk to her about her daughter. She paled considerably, stepping aside to let him in. Leading him to the living room, she sat in one armchair by a coffee table, and gestured for him to sit in the other.

"What's this about? What do you know about my daughter?" Her words came out with a bite to them, and the definite edge of resentment.

"Ma'am, we know who killed your daughter. My team was assigned to go over her cold case recently, and we found a connection to another murder that lead us to reveal her killer." Tony spoke quietly but confidently, making sure not to sound as proud as he felt. He watched the face of the woman across from him. She was sweating and even paler. When she spoke again, she did so very quietly.

"Who-o-o who was it?"

"Melinda Stafford. The other person murdered was your twin sister's daughter." Tony's voice was calm, but panic was welling up inside of him. Something was not right about Leona. Her breathing was hitching, and she had begun shaking. It wasn't sobs, and she wasn't crying. She started holding her left arm.

"Ms. Cusack? Are you okay?" Tony got to his feet when she didn't respond, grabbing his cell phone from his coat pocket. She looked up at him, but still didn't say anything. He dialed 9-1-1 and started relaying information to the dispatcher.

Tony stayed with her until they wheeled her away on the gurney, and then followed her here to the hospital. Thankfully, she stabilized after a shot of nitroglycerine. When Tony came in to talk to her half an hour later, she was much more receptive, and grateful for the information. Tony gave her his card and told her to call him as questions came to her, letting her know he'd do his best to answer them.

Now, Tony was back in his car, gathering his thoughts. He looked at his phone, and scrolled up through his texts to the ones that Jethro had sent him. There weren't many, but they meant a lot to him. _Wish you were here._

"I wish you were here, too, Jethro," he said to himself. He turned the key in the ignition and hit the road back to DC. He was going down I-66 when his phone chimed, pulling him from thoughts of the distraught Leona Cusack and her family's situation. He reached down to grab his phone, and doing his best to keep his eyes on the road, read the text that had come through.

_You have no idea how much I miss you right now. Dinner tonight with my friends?_

Tony put the phone in the speaker cradle and hit Gibbs' speed-dial. He knew right away that Gibbs wasn't alone by how he answered.

"Gibbs."

"You're not alone are you?"

"Nope." Gibbs' voice was stoic professional. Tony kind of wanted to tease him, but he knew that there was a good chance he was in the presence of SecNav. It would have to wait for some other time.

"Okay. Just glad to hear your voice. Dinner sounds great. Straight from work?"

"Yeah. Cusack going to be okay?" Gibbs tried really hard to keep his smile to himself. He was glad to have heard Tony's voice, too. He was sitting around the conference table with everyone other than the Secretary. They were waiting on his detail to arrive and of course, Jacobs had managed to get the seat right across from him.

"Yeah, I think she will. I'll let you go."

"Okay. Thanks for the update."

"Wow, you have manners! Who knew!" That did it. Gibbs laughed despite himself and smiled.

"Don't tell her that! She'll expect it all the time." He said, trying to cover for his outburst, skirting a glance at Vance.

"Now, I know you're not alone. Good luck with that!"

"Thanks, I'm gonna need it."

"Ouch. Bye Jethro. Love you." Tony said it naturally and as soon as the words came out of his mouth, he cringed, afraid it would come out of Jethro's mouth without thinking.

"You too!" He said cheerily instead, in a way that could be responding to anything.

They hung up the phone and Tony breathed a sigh of relief. He wondered again about what was going on with this op. He was trying not to stress about it, but he wanted some time with Jethro to himself, and really wanted Jacobs gone. He knew he didn't have anything to worry about, but he was becoming progressively jealous and possessive of his lover. He wished he had someone to vent to about it, but they hadn't discussed that yet. He still couldn't think of anyone other than Tim that he trusted to talk to. Besides, he had dirt on him now too, so it would be almost like a pact. Maybe he could convince Jethro with that train of thought.

He tried to think about going out to dinner tonight with Jethro and his "friends". It was the closest thing they had to a date for now. Too bad they would have to spend it without showing any affection. At least they would be comfortable enough to discuss case matters and swap fun stories. He liked the idea of meeting people from Jethro's past. Enough of his own past had come stampeding through cases to introduce themselves to his team without asking. It was nice to have the tables turned in a positive light.

He pulled into the navy yard and parked his car in the garage close to Jethro's. He wasn't quite sure why, but it made him feel better. He wandered upstairs to the bullpen, a bit concerned about Leona Cuscack, a bit happy about dinner plans, and a bit anxious to see Gibbs. None of these things could really be addressed though, so he sat down at his desk, and tried to focus on work.

Going through his emails, Tony saw one from the Director. He opened it and read the short note he had sent about the team being on call over the weekend, and about how he was probably going to need Gibbs elsewhere, leaving Tony in charge. He knew immediately that Jethro had something to do with that.

For a moment he wrestled with the indignation of nepotism. Why else would Gibbs finally be giving him a shot at being in charge? Then the understanding that it took Gibbs' and his relationship for him to really give up any control of his team at all, dawned on him. He wasn't sure whether to be pissed or awed. In the end they cancelled each other out. When he got past that, he was actually kind of excited to be left in charge some more. He knew that meant that he probably wouldn't see much of Gibbs that weekend, but once the op was over, they would make up for it.

He was reading the other emails in his inbox when a message popped up from McGee.

TMcGee: Help! Ziva is driving!

Tony laughed.

TDiNozzo: I wonder if Gibbs' apples and saltines cure works for being car-sick as well as boatsick...

TMcGee: I don't have either. I think she's going to kill us. Open road. I figured it would be safest. Not many things for her to hit. Wrong. She's pressing triple digits.

TDiNozzo: Tell her I said to slow down, Tim! I need you guys back here in once piece!

TMcGee: Aww... you DO care! Are you kidding me? If I said that _you_ said it, she'd just go faster!

TDiNozzo: Being acting Team Lead while Gibbs is op-ing gives me the right to demand it.

TMcGee: Yeah, like she's going to listen to that.

TDiNozzo: She's going to have to get used to it. Word just came through I'm in charge through the weekend.

TMcGee: Really? Why?

TDiNozzo: Gibbs is going to be caught up in the op all weekend

TMcGee: Then why don't we just switch weekends with another team?

Tony was feeling frustrated. He wasn't quite sure why himself, and Tim's doubts were echoing his own. He found it hard to be confident in his abilities when he wasn't sure why they were being called upon.

TDiNozzo: Don't know. You have a problem with it Timmy?

TMcGee: No, just curious.

TDiNozzo: Sure.

Tim winced as he glanced down at his phone. He didn't mean to give Tony the impression that he wasn't supportive of him. There was a little piece of him, though, wondering if this had anything to do with Gibbs' unusually good mood lately, and his suspicions about who was putting him in that good mood. He kept that thought to himself for now.

Tony had led the team the whole time Gibbs was in Mexico, and they didn't fall apart. Actually, they had done just as well as with Gibbs. Tim wasn't sure why he had never thought about how similar Tony and Gibbs actually were. They were night and day about a lot of things, but when it came down to it, they were both fiercely loyal, dedicated, driven and wrapped up in their jobs. Tony had been becoming more and more like Gibbs since the day they met. It wasn't a bad thing.

TMcGee: Do you ever regret not going after a team of your own?

Tony was taken aback by the question. He hadn't considered having his own team since Rota and Gibbs' little field trip to Mexico. In fact, once Gibbs had returned, and everything was back to normal and getting better, he had pretty much resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be a team lead until Gibbs retired one day. He couldn't see himself leaving the DC office, and Simmons and Balboa were both young enough that they weren't going anywhere anytime soon. He really wanted the MCRT anyway. It had been good to him, and he relied on the trust between his teammates to get the job done.

TDiNozzo: Nah.

TMcGee: Why not?

TDiNozzo: I guess I just... like where I'm at.

TMcGee: Yeah. I can't imagine working on a team with anyone else at this point either.

 _Damn._ Tony thought. _When the hell did he get so insightful? And why the hell is he probing? Well, two can play at that game._

TDiNozzo: Is that why you're not in Japan right now?

TMcGee: Pretty much. I belong where I'm at, doing what I do, with the people I'm doing it with.

TDiNozzo: Doing a hundred miles per hour down the coastline with a former assassin behind the wheel?

Tim looked over at Ziva's concentration on the road and down at the speedometer. 101. He gulped but then realized that Ziva's body language was oddly relaxed. He hadn't seen her like that for a while now. _Must be Dion's influence,_ he thought and smiled to himself. His entire team was suddenly in love, and it was like all of the pieces were falling into places for all of them. They had always been misfits on the personal, emotional, and social levels. Each of them had relationships that ended badly because of the job, and now they were all getting a second (or third, fourth and fifth chances) at happiness. He smiled at Ziva and turned his eyes back to his phone.

TMcGee: Exactly. :)

Tony chuckled to himself in surprise. Tim was definitely who he wanted to be his one person to talk to. Not many people had been privileged to know this side of Tim. When he wasn't in the middle of hacking a network or being his super techie-geek self, he was becoming a pretty good judge of character and a better friend. _Now, how to break it to Gibbs?_

TDiNozzo: Yeah, me too.

They left the conversation at that. McGee sat back and closed his eyes. He found that if he didn't watch the world whip by, he could almost relax.

Tony turned back to case files and tuned out all thoughts about what was going on upstairs. He was checking on leads for a file a couple of hours later when he heard voices streaming from Vance's office. The group was wandering out from their meeting, Gibbs at the head. He bounced down the steps, smiling as Tony turned to look to see who was coming. He had to duck his head to hide his smile, too.

Gibbs came around the bend. "DiNozzo. How's Ms. Cusack?" He stopped in front of his SFA's desk and tried to keep his expression neutral. It was nearly impossible, but he managed it other than a quick flick of his eyes up towards the crowd at the top of the stairs talking.

"She's going to be okay. Stress tests and all of that are in her future, but it's a problem that was creeping up on her. Everything go okay up there?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Pretty well. We were all thinking about going out to dinner. Wanna join us?" Tony smiled at the game.

"Sure. Where we headed?" He started shutting down his computer and locked the files in the cabinet behind him.

"Was thinking Casimiro's." Gibbs smirked at him.

"Italian? Really?" Tony smiled and tried to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"Was craving it." Gibbs said quietly. Their eyes met in a brief spark before Gibbs shook his head and broke the spell. He looked up at the group coming down the steps. He hadn't told Tony yet that Jacobs was coming.

The trouble maker had walked out while Gibbs was asking Malek, Talia and Dina if they wanted to go. It would have been really awkward to say no when he asked where they were heading, inviting himself. Gibbs in turn offered an invite to the Director and SecNav. Jarvis said no, but Vance was coming, intrigued by Gibbs' social mood.

"Hey Malek, come here. I want you to meet someone." Tony smiled at Gibbs and then turned up to the folks coming down the stairs. Malek was smiling back at Gibbs and Tony as he approached the bottom of the steps. He came around the bend, and Gibbs introduced them.

"Malek this is Tony DiNozzo, my Senior Field Agent and a good friend. Tony, Malek al Khlaiwi." Tony had come around his desk and shook the outstretched hand of the man in front of him. He found his hand engulfed in both of Malek's in a warm greeting.

"It's nice to meet you Malek. Gibbs has told me I can fish a good story out of you." He smiled at the man, liking him immediately as he laughed in a jolly way.

"I think that can be arranged. He has spoken very highly of you, Agent DiNozzo."

"Please, call me Tony."

"Let me introduce these two wonderful women. This is Dina Ta'anari and Talia Shia-Agil." Both of the women bowed their heads to Tony with smiles. Tony dipped his head in return.

"It's a pleasure." Tony said. Gibbs noticed that there was a respect to Tony's voice that he normally lacked when being introduced to beautiful women. There was usually some comment made, but he left it out this time. He had been waiting for the sting of the flirt, but it didn't come. He felt that light, bubbly feeling trying to take over inside. It didn't last long though.

Tony looked up and saw Vance and Jacobs walking down the steps with Jarvis, finishing a conversation about Jacobs' reassignment. Gibbs watched as the hard edge crossed Tony's face and knew he was in for it.

"Where are we heading, Gibbs?" Vance asked, joining the group with Jacobs by his side. Tony tried to smile at the Director, then turned to Gibbs. He pulled out all of his undercover skills, breathing deeply through his nose and calming his nerves.

"Casimiro's." Gibbs said, turning towards his desk to grab his gun and badge.

"Who are we riding with?" Jacobs asked from the back of the huddle looking directly at Gibbs. Tony tried not to seethe as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. He decided a proactive approach was best.

"You can ride with me Jacobs," he said cheerfully, shooting Gibbs and then Jacobs his friendliest mask. Jacobs smiled, but his disappointment was obvious.

Vance expressed his need to drive separately so he could go straight home afterwards. The rest of the group decided to ride with Gibbs. The group moved towards the elevator. As they approached, Tony shot Gibbs a look and then nodded at the stairwell door before announcing to the group that they would see them all in the garage. "Gotta catch the Boss up on something." Gibbs nodded slowly and followed Tony into the stairwell. Tony didn't say a word until they were around the blind bend.

"Why is he coming?"

"He invited himself. I invited Vance as a buffer. It's not my idea of how tonight was going to go either," he said softly.

Tony looked at the frustration on Gibbs face and knew that it was exactly how he felt as well. "I get it, but it sucks. I just..."

"I've never seen you jealous, Tony." Gibbs smirked at him and tilted his head. "I kinda like it."

Tony couldn't help the smile that spread itself across his face. _How does he do that?_ He stepped towards the older man and their hands found one another's waists while they shared a quick kiss. As they backed away from one another, Gibbs took Tony's hand in his.

"I've wanted to hold this all day," he said, giving Tony a meaningful look.

"You can hold it under the table at dinner." Tony said. He squeezed Gibbs' hand and then turned to head down the steps, leaving Gibbs to follow him for once. The older man shook his head and watched his very handsome, Very Special Agent, from behind as they descended to the garage.

As they came through the door to the garage Tony turned towards Gibbs. "So McGee messaged me on the way back today. Apparently, he was tired so he let Ziva drive."

"That was stupid," Gibbs said with a chuckle.

"I know! He said that she was doing a hundred down a two lane. I was like, McGee! What were you thinking?"

"What did he say?" Gibbs asked, happy to hear the playful Tony chatter.

"I told him to tell her to slow down. To that, he asked why I thought she would listen to me, and to that I answered, because I'm in charge until Monday." Tony gave Gibbs' surprised expression a smirk and then called Jacobs over to his car with him.

* * *

Jacobs had watched as Tony and Gibbs chatted and laughed after leaving the stairwell. Gibbs laughter had drawn his attention right away. They seemed so comfortable with each other, and it sent a pang of jealousy through him.

He thought he had picked up something between himself and the older man once upon a time. There wasn't a hint of it though since he got back to the States. He had really been hoping to get some time alone with him, but every time he thought he had a chance, Gibbs had been in a rush to get somewhere, hurrying out of the room at every meal break. He'd waited for him to return, but he had been on the phone with someone on the way back from lunch on two occasions now. He had to admit that he didn't like what he heard.

Had he misjudged why Gibbs had pulled him back to the States? Was it really just for his protection? After their last op together, he thought for sure the next time they saw each other, the sparks would fly. That was the op he had encountered DiNozzo on, and now he was going to have to ride with him to dinner.

Tony and Jacobs got into Tony's car, and the tension settled in. Tony started the car and pulled out, making sure to stay ahead of the rest of the group.

"So have you ever been to Casimiro's?" Tony asked, keeping his voice as light as possible. He had decided to get to know the enemy.

"No. They weren't open when I was home last." Jacobs said.

"Ahh. Then you haven't been home for a while now, I take it. Would have to be a couple of years. That's gotta be rough." Tony said, trying to be sympathetic.

"Yeah. I haven't been home in two years and three months. Was hoping to get home after an op last year, but there's always another something important to keep me away."

Tony noticed the cocky tone in the kid's voice, and having mastered that voice himself, knew just had to tear it down sweetly.

"You've been a great asset to us. I'm really glad we've had you available. I know Jethro has been grateful. He was surprised to find someone so young to be so skilled." Tony intentionally used Gibbs' first name to see how Jacobs would react. He knew just how to use compliments to make a person feel like a tool. It was a technique he used in interrogations often. He chanced a glance at Jacobs and saw him nod, a little tight lipped. The obvious discomfort spurred him on. "I really could have used you for this one op I ran while Gibbs went through his "retired" phase. It was a bitch. Could have _definitely_ used your talents."

Jacobs looked over at Tony with a confused look, obviously taken aback. "His retired phase?" Tony chuckled. He pretended he was laughing about Gibbs' trip into retirement, but it was really at how obviously Jacobs passed over everything else he had said and jumped right into talking about Gibbs.

"Yeah. He was in an explosion years ago, and when he woke up, he had amnesia. Man, that was rough on us." He paused for effect. "All of us, really. The team was just devastated..." he said, watching Jacobs' expression as best as he could while he drove, trying to gauge if he caught the double "us" and it's insinuation.

"Anyway, he finally came around, only to have something... just horrible... thrown at us. We couldn't convince the right people to do the right thing, and we lost a whole team and an entire ship's worth of people. He just..."

Tony realized that he was losing the battle with his emotions as he told the story. It still hurt to think about that part of his time on the team, and more importantly, Gibbs temporary abandonment. He cleared his throat. Jacobs was listening intently, attention trained on Tony's face. "He decided to retire. I became MCRT Lead, and life tried to move forward for a while. I gotta tell you though, I was never so happy as I was the day he got dragged back into our little messed up family." He hadn't realized how revealing that last part would sound before he said it, but he was glad that he did.

Jacobs' voice was quiet when he spoke. "Didn't you like being the leader?"

Tony looked at him seriously as they approached a red light. "Yes, and I was good at it, but honestly, without Jethro there, it was three of the worst months of my life." The light turned green and Tony pulled forward. They were only a block from the restaurant now, and he began looking for a place to park. He found a spot not too far down and backed in. Gibbs drove past him and waved. Tony smiled brightly, and waved back before moving to get out of the car.

"You guys seem really close." Jacobs said. Tony smiled, knowing that the question had been implanted successfully.

"We are. I'd be lost without him. I like to think he'd be lost without me too." Tony smiled his cockiest smile and opened his door. He went to wait for the rest of the group on the sidewalk. Jacobs got out of the car slowly, opting to hang back a bit to watch Tony and Gibbs' interaction, looking for evidence of what he believed Tony had been insinuating. Tony smiled and joked with Malek as the group approached.

"I can't believe I beat him here! I never beat him _anywhere._ He must have kept it under the speed limit just for you."

Malek chuckled his jolly laugh, aiming a mischievous look at Gibbs. "I threatened to tell you the truth about how we ended up saving his behind if he didn't keep it under 50 with the ladies in the car." Tony laughed as he caught Gibbs rolling his eyes. Gibbs shook his head at Tony.

"I have nothing to hide." He shook his head a little and threw his hands up, giving Tony a bit of a smile before looking away.

"Yeah, right! I know you better than that!" Tony joked. Vance came up to the group from the other side and Jacobs went to stand behind him. Talia and Dina were following Gibbs and Malek, talking in a hushed huddle behind them. They looked to be in serious discussion about something.

"That makes you a rare bird DiNozzo, but I guess if anyone has a chance at it, it would be you. Still don't know how you've put up with him for ten years now." Vance gave Gibbs a smirk and Gibbs shook his head.

"That's why I'm _Very_ Special Agent DiNozzo, sir." There was a rare sense of openness with the group that Tony had only felt with his immediate team. Even when he was with his frat buddies, he hadn't felt this genuinely confident in a group. He wasn't sure why he was so comfortable, but he had a feeling it was because Gibbs had referred to these people as his friends. The only other people Tony had ever considered being Gibbs' friends were the same people he considered friends- the team, Abby, Ducky and Palmer. That openness was contagious and it spread to his interactions with Vance. They approached the door and Gibbs held it open for Tony to go in first. Tony smiled and led the group in.

"Antonio! Salve!" A beautiful woman, looking stunning in a solid black dress, approached Tony and the group. She reached her hands out to Tony and he took them, leaning in to kiss each of her cheeks.

"Buona sera, Marcella! Come sta?" _(Good evening, Marcella. How are you?)_ Tony asked, still grasping her hands but stepping back to put distance between them. He had been here often with dates and she had always been nothing but friendly. He was definitely not her type, but his dates usually were.

"Sto bene, grazie. Come va la vita?" ( _I'm good, thanks. How's life?)_ she asked, then looked past him at the group of people with him.

"Molto bene! _(Very good!)_ Marcella, I want you to meet my friends and co-workers. This is Jethro Gibbs, my boss and a good friend," he said, introducing Gibbs first, in the same way he had been introduced to Malek. Gibbs caught on right away and leaned in to take the hand Marcella offered him and kiss her cheek as she leaned in to kiss his.

"Ahhh! So this is Gibbs? I've heard a lot about you. Any friend of Antonio's is welcome here." She turned to the rest of the group for a little more formal an introduction. "This is NCIS Director, Leon Vance." Marcella's greeting became a little less personal with Vance, but was still very pleasant.

"And these are Gibbs' friends Talia, Dina, Malek and Sergeant Ryan Jacobs." Gibbs waited until Jacobs was distracted with Marcella's greeting before shooting a look at Tony. He had finally realized that Jacobs looked like a zombie and Tony smiled smugly back, pretending to know nothing about what Gibbs' look meant. Marcella led them into a back room with a few very large round booths made of two semi-circle benches around a large round table. The idea of the entire team around one of those tables flashed through Tony's head and he made a note in the back of his mind to make that happen.

For now though, Gibbs got in on one side of the table and Tony slid in next to him. Malek slid in next to him, and on the other side of the table, Jacobs slid in, sitting across from Gibbs, with Talia and then Dina next to him, and Vance on the other end of the bench. Tony tried to keep his smile up while noticing their seating arrangement, but he wasn't happy that Jacobs had finagled a spot so close to Gibbs.

"La carta dei vini?" _(The wine list?)_ Marcella asked Tony.

"Per favore." _(Please.)_ Tony responded, wondering how much wine it would take to get this rush of jealousy from his veins. He couldn't have much because he knew he didn't have the option of _not_ driving tonight. He turned back to the people at the table as they all began looking at the menu. He knew what he wanted already, but he watched as Gibbs struggled to read the menu without his glasses. He leaned in, trying not to lean _too_ close to him, both elbows on the table, hands folded like he was praying. "Where are your glasses?" he asked, a knowing smirk on his face.

"I think I left them on the nightstand," he whispered back fervently. Tony reached into his inside jacket pocket. He'd had them there all day, having picked them up this morning with the intention of handing them off to Gibbs, but they had gotten distracted before they left. He sat them as discreetly as possible on the table, and Gibbs picked them up just as discreetly to put them on. Marcella returned with the wine list and Tony took it, reading through the options. He decided and passed the list around the table for everyone to look at.

After everyone had placed their orders, and the menus were collected, they all sat back for friendly chatter. "So DiNozzo, I didn't realize you spoke Italian so fluently. I knew you had Spanish down, but I wasn't aware of the Italian." Vance said, drawing Tony's attention away from his jealousy.

"Well, you know, the family is Italian. It comes with the territory." He played it off as coolly as he could, sitting back with his hands in his lap, trying to relax. "Three things every Italian child learns: wine, food and the language."

"Don't feel bad Leon. I knew him for four years before I knew he could speak Spanish. It took him and Ziva getting into it one day to find out." Gibbs said, giving Tony a smug look that said "Na-na-na boo boo!". It was playful, and Tony couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, I'm sure by now, there's not much you don't know about me. Hell, after ten years, I'm pretty sure you know me better than I know myself." Tony said. Their waitress arrived with their drinks. Tony accepted his glass of wine and Gibbs' beer, passing it to the left. That's when he saw the death stare he was getting from Jacobs. His eyebrows arched in an almost innocent question as he met it straight on for a moment, and then looked away.

Malek took the lead in the conversation and Tony was grateful. "So, you wanted to know about Gibbs' adventure with us in Kabul?"

Tony nodded. "Oh, most definitely."

Malek began telling a tale of Gibbs harrowing escape with such hilarity that it took the edge out of the story. Their food arrived and he continued the tale as they all ate. Tony kept looking over at Gibbs to gauge his reaction to the way the story was being told, laughing, and feeling lighthearted. Gibbs was smiling and almost pink in the face, putting in his two cents and correcting or smoothing out the parts of the story that seemed to require it. Dina and Talia were even loosening up a bit, giving their own accounts.

Vance sat laughing and making wise-cracks of his own from across Malek. Tony had never seen the Director this comfortable with the team. Gibbs words from the day before popped into Tony's head. "I even slipped to Vance..." Maybe that is what the Director needed all along to feel like he was part of the group, just a little insight into their personal lives.

When Malek, Talia and Dina were finished teasing Gibbs for all he could take, Tony took the conversation back to steer it somewhere safe. "How's the family, Director?"

Vance lit up at the mention of his wife and kids. "Well, the kids are doing great. Jaqui has been running around like crazy though. It's volleyball finals for Kayla this month and her team looks to be going all the way. Jared had decided to take karate. They're both making honor roll. I tell you, that woman is incredible. She's at her sister's tonight, having a much deserved girls' night, the kids are with their grandmother, and I am one lucky bastard."

Tony raised his glass out to him. "Cheers to that." Vance tapped his glass against his and they drank.

Malek looked over at Gibbs from around Tony. "So, Gibbs. What's this I hear about a new woman in your life, eh?" Gibbs choked on his pasta and Tony turned to him, barely able to stifle his laughter, until he saw the stunned look on Jacob's face. That took the cake. He lost it, laughing so hard he bent over the table. Gibbs looked at him in disbelief. The rest of the table was chuckling, but Tony was losing it.

"Come on Jethro, even Jacobs is looking like he just found out hell froze over. _None_ of us expected _another_ potential Mrs. Gibbs." Gibbs took the opportunity to kick Tony beneath the table. That just made him laugh harder.

"What about you? I've heard that you're finally making it past two dates with someone again," he said, smiling and diverting attention.

"Wow, DiNozzo, sounds serious." Vance quipped. Tony looked over at him with a happy smile.

"Actually, it is. I'm happy for once." He turned to Gibbs as if to rub it in his face that the tables weren't really turned after all. "And I plan on staying that way. How about that?"

Gibbs smiled into his beer and shook his head. "That's great, Tony. I'm happy for you."

"I'm happy for you, too." Tony said with a buoyantly happy tone. "Maybe one day you'll let everyone else meet her."

Gibbs looked at him with that look of frustrated disbelief again and made another stab at kicking him under the table.

Talia spoke up tentatively. "You have met her, Tony?"

He nodded. "She's pretty great. I think they could be really happy together." His tone turned more serious, but remained positive.

"Careful Gibbs, Tony might steal her from you." Vance joked. That made both Tony and Gibbs choke on the drinks they were trying to hide behind. Everyone's laughter filled the table, even the nervous fake laughter from the silent Jacobs at the end of the table. Tony shook his head and attacked another meatball, stealing a look over at the surly Jacobs, then with a smile, looked up to see Gibbs still wiping his eyes from laughing so hard. It was a beautiful sight.

They finished eating and sat around the table talking. Tony realized that Jacobs was on his fourth beer and seemed to be relaxing. Tony smiled inwardly, thinking it was a good thing and hoping that maybe he had resigned himself to being out of the picture. Tony's hands were in his lap, resting on his thighs. He felt Gibbs' finger run over the back of his hand and he smiled. The way the booth was set up, they really couldn't hold hands, but a quick graze was discreet enough. Tony remained focused on the conversation Dina and Vance were having.

A few minutes later, Gibbs hand grabbed Tony's in a sudden squeeze and didn't let go. Tony turned as casually as possible towards Gibbs and saw the panicked uncomfortable look on his face as he shifted in his seat. He tried to turn back to the conversation at hand, but saw the intense stare that Jacobs was giving Gibbs and knew that something had just happened under the table. Tony tried to control his composure until there was a break in the story.

"If you'll pardon me folks, I need to make a trip to the little boys' room." He motioned for Gibbs to get out of the booth and let him out.

"That actually sounds like a good idea." Gibbs said, stretching a little as he got up. "Be right back." Gibbs followed Tony to the bathroom. As soon as they were behind the door he threw his hands up.

"What just happened?" Tony asked, fury in his voice, but not directed at Gibbs.

"The kid just tried to play footsie with me under the damn table! As in, ran his foot up the inside of my damn leg! What the hell did you say to him in the car?" Gibbs was frustrated and pissed.

"I just talked to him about the team. Mentioned Mexico, how I could have used him on the Syria op while you were gone, how we all missed you and were glad when you came back. I tried to behave. I figured that would be the best plan of attack." Gibbs had taken a few deep breaths and calmed down immediately.

"Behave? You mean, besides flaunting your Italian and egging everyone on with how great my new "girlfriend" is?" Gibbs couldn't help but smile at the man in front of him, trying desperately not to touch him in case someone walked in on them.

"You and I both know that you brought me here _just_ so that you could hear me speak Italian, _and_ so that other people could, too." Gibbs shrugged a little at that, admitting it with a smirk. " _And_ you knew you were starting a war when you pointed out that _I_ am currently in the first happily committed relationship of my life." Tony stepped closer to Gibbs, trying to close the gap between them. "First, and last," he corrected his voice suddenly softer. Tony reached for Gibbs hand, but Gibbs looked towards the door. Tony's eyes followed his paranoid gaze. He smirked and reached over to turn the lock.

"I know you're not all that used to locking doors, but that's how it's done." Tony said quietly, leaning into his lover, slipping his arms around his waist. Gibbs gladly put his hands on Tony's hips and met him in the middle for a deep, longing kiss. Tony felt the tingle go down his spine that Gibbs deliciously inflicted on him.

Gibbs tasted the red wine on Tony's lips and hummed in appreciation at how well it complimented his natural taste. When they finally pulled apart, he felt grounded. He hadn't realized how much he had needed that kiss, that connection. Their foreheads rested against one another and they sat there catching their breath for a moment.

Tony's words kept repeating themselves over and over again in his head until they found their way to his lips in the form of a question. "First and last?"

"That's the plan." Tony said, green eyes sparkling.

"I really like that plan." Gibbs said, blue eyes bright.

"Your house tonight?" Tony asked quietly.

"Not until I get that lock on there. Definitely don't want to chance anyone walking in on what I have planned to do to you tonight." Gibbs said quietly with a smile that reached his eyes.

Tony smirked and kissed Jethro again quickly, then let him go.

"On that note, I'm really going to take a leak." He reached over and unlocked the door then moved back to a urinal. Gibbs smiled at him and shook his head.

"We really need to wrap this up," he said over his shoulder on the way out the door. Tony couldn't agree more.

Back at the table, Vance had begun a conversation with Jacobs, asking him about how quiet he had been all evening. Jacobs had tried to play it off as if he were tired and missed the people he had left behind in the Middle East. Vance had been trying to get his profile down all week. He went from being the highly competent soldier to this quiet shy kid

As soon as Gibbs came back to the table, he witnessed the way Jacobs looked over his shoulder looking for Tony, and then, upon not seeing him, smiled warmly at Gibbs. He also noticed that when Tony did join the table a few moments later, and Gibbs scooted over to let Tony sit on the end instead of keeping their original positions, Jacobs' entire demeanor changed. He kept his eye on the unfolding situation as he carried on a conversation with Dina and Talia, and Gibbs talked to Malek.

Tony had taken to simply staring straight at Jacobs with a look that could kill. Jacobs stared back with eyes just as dangerous. There was some incredible tension down there and Leon's curiosity about where it came from captivated him. Something had changed in the air in the last five minutes. It was like things were great before DiNozzo and Gibbs hit the head, and now there was severe animosity at the end of the table.

Gibbs decided to be the first to call it a night, startling Vance from his observations. Tony smiled despite himself at hearing the request and agreed. Everyone else joined in, gathering their things. Vance watched the interaction between Tony and Jacobs. Jacobs remained steely towards DiNozzo, and DiNozzo smiled at the younger man with a wolfish grin that Vance knew not to trust. "Where can I drop you, Jacobs?" he asked, a surprisingly friendly tone to his voice. Vance noticed that Gibbs was watching them out of the corner of his eye.

Jacobs realized he was in trouble, and didn't want to be left alone with Tony. He looked up at Gibbs with imploring eyes and Gibbs looked away to smile at Talia and Dina as they said their goodnights. Jacobs was on his own.

"I guess my folks' place? It's out by Truxton Circle."

Tony couldn't wait to get the punk alone to give him a piece of his mind. He moved away from the table and Gibbs followed him quickly. He leaned in to say speak privately with Tony while keeping enough distance to keep it from looking intimate.

"Don't kill him, and don't tell him." He pulled back from Tony and looked him in the eyes.

"I wasn't planning on it, no matter how much I would enjoy it." He smiled that wolfish grin again and turned back to the group coming up behind him. "It was really nice meeting everybody. We should do this again sometime." He looked over at Malek and Vance as he said the second part. He had genuinely enjoyed their company tonight. It was a side of Vance he hadn't had the chance to get to know, and he decided that he liked it much better than the side he did know.

Marcella approached them and pulled Tony in again for a double cheek kiss. "Antonio, was everything alright tonight?"

"It was delicious, faccia i nostri complimenti al cuoco. Grazie." _(Give our compliments to the chef. Thank you.)_ The warm Italian in him loved getting a chance to spend a few moments in the company of another with the same inclination.

"Ritornare presto e portare i suoi amici." _(Come back soon and bring your friends.)_ Marcella was glad to meet his friends for once and to see him so relaxed. She leaned in closer. "Lei guarda realmente felice, Antonio. Sono felice per lei. È sembra realmente grande." _(You seem happy, Tony. I'm happy for you. He seems really great.)_ He smiled broadly at her. She and he had talked over a glass of wine one night a year before when his date cancelled. He had told her about how he hadn't really minded, and for some reason, knowing her preferences, felt compelled to tell her how he felt about Gibbs. It seems she had picked up on their relationship tonight.

"Sono ed è." _(I am, and he is.)_ He gave her another kiss on the cheek, and they parted. He realized that he had a bit of an audience. Gibbs, Vance and Jacobs were all looking at him, each wearing completely different expressions. Jacobs was fuming, Gibbs was lusting and Vance was curious and impressed. He headed for the door, trying desperately to ignore all three of them.

Out in the chilly March night, Tony wrapped his trench coat around him tighter and pulled his phone out to text Gibbs, though he was only a few feet away.

_I'll call you after I drop off Jacobs. Love you._

He hit send, shouted his goodnights again to everyone, and then got into the car. Jacobs hesitantly got into the car on the other side and Tony let the positive facade drop. He slipped his seatbelt on, turned the key in the ignition and hit the door lock button. As soon as he pulled out onto the road, he gave Jacobs a look that held the full throttle of his anger.

"You have _no_ idea what you're doing kid. None." Tony's voice was quiet and icy. He glanced over at the younger man in the seat next to him, and for a moment, the terrified look on his face made Tony forget that Jacobs was a Marine. Tony thought a moment about how he could go about this while following Gibbs' wishes, and not revealing that _he_ was who Gibbs was so happy with. He took a deep breath. It did nothing to quench the rage he had been building, but rather stoked the fire.

"Jethro is my best friend, and he's finally happy. He doesn't need some punk with a hard-on fucking with his head. You've been making him uncomfortable all week. What the HELL is wrong with you?" Tony was beyond furious, and his voice rose with every word, getting louder and louder until he was yelling. There was no sarcasm, no playful smirk. Tony couldn't remember the last time he had been so angry, but then again, he had never had to go off on someone trying to steal his partner before.

Jacobs sat there silently, not sure what to say. He couldn't believe that Gibbs would tell anyone about his attempt at the table, none the less the subtle looks he had been attempting during meetings. Was he that obvious? Was Gibbs that disinterested?

Tony hit the freeway and floored it, Ziva style. He wanted Jacobs out of his car before he snapped and shot him. The fact that he hadn't tried to deny the accusation, confirmed it and Tony's blood boiled.

"I don't know what or _who_ you got away with doing on deployment, but you're back in the States, where people are trying to establish lives, families, futures… Don't you think when you get to Jethro's age the random romps lose their appeal? For God's sake, he's got _twenty-five years_ on you. Oh, yeah, he's a good looking guy for his age, but doesn't that scream "Daddy complex," just a little? I mean, the man was in the same war as your father. _They_ could sit around swapping stories. You didn't have anything to say at dinner. There's no history there, nothing to relate to." Tony knew that had gotten to him. The look on Jacobs' face said it all. It had gone too far and Tony was glad.

"Jethro's not just a piece of meat, damn it! He's a person, a really fucking complex person, and he is finally untangling himself. If you do anything to prevent that, you and I are really going to go at it. And that's _if_ you're lucky. He not only has me, but an entire team that cares a hell of a lot about him, enjoying how happy he is. Unless you want a Mossad assassin, the top forensics specialist in the country, and the best geek on this side of the cyber wars to destroy you and your life, I would stay the hell away from him." Tony pulled off the exit and stared straight into the angry eyes of the shrinking man next to him. "And yes, that's a threat."

The light turned green. "Where the hell am I dropping your sorry ass?" he commanded. Jacobs swallowed and pointed to the right. Tony turned and followed nearly silent instructions to a brownstone where Jacobs motioned for him to pull over.

Tony turned towards him. "Think very carefully about what I've said before you come in tomorrow. One wrong move, and I'll make sure you're miserable for years." Jacobs stared straight ahead, obviously pissed, but too scared to look back at Tony. He nodded and then got out of the car. Tony's eyes burned into the back of his head until he made his way into the house, slamming the front door behind him.

Tony shook his head and took a couple of deep breaths before pulling back out onto the road. He slipped his phone from his pocket and put it on the speaker cradle. He gave himself a moment to pull himself together and then hit Gibbs' speed dial.

"Hey Tony. How'd it go? Everything okay?" Gibbs' voice was a soothing balm.

"I think it is now." Tony said, letting out a big sigh of relief. "You get Dina, Talia and Malek back to their hotel?"

"Yup. At my house now, picking up some stuff." Gibbs kept his tone gentle and happy. Tony felt the anger slipping out of him with every word.

"So, you'll be leaving soon and coming over?" Tony couldn't wait to just be curled up in Gibbs' arms, holding him close and safe, and being held in return.

"I'm turning off the lights now. See you soon." Gibbs said.

"I can't wait." Tony said. They both sat on the line silently for a moment.

"Hey, Tony?"

"Yeah, Jethro?"

"I love you." Gibbs knew that he owed Tony for volunteering to drive Jacobs tonight, and for setting things straight with him.

Tony felt the broad smile coax him out of his funk. "I love you, too, Jethro. I hope you know that."

"I do, Tony. See you at home."


	9. Chapter 9

Tony pulled into his parking lot and turned off the lights. Gibbs' car wasn't there yet. He climbed out and made his way up the stairs to his apartment. He slid his key in the lock and thought about the discussion that he and Gibbs had that morning before he left. It made him smile a little as he flipped on the lights. He paused for a moment to consider whether or not to lock the door, and then turned the bolt. He wanted Gibbs to have to use his key. Something about the thought of Gibbs feeling comfortable enough to just let himself in made Tony feel elated. Gibbs had told Tony on the phone just now that he would see him at "home". Tony had gotten the chills, and wondered if Gibbs realized what he had just said.

He headed for the bedroom, stripped off his clothes and hung them up for the dry cleaners. He slipped into flannel PJ pants and a long sleeve tee and swapped his thinner trouser socks for a thicker, comfy pair of tube socks. It was chilly in the apartment and he decided to turn up the thermostat. It didn't help half of the time, but it never hurt to try.

Tony plopped down on the couch and propped his feet up on the coffee table. He was about to turn on whatever movie he last had in the DVD player when he heard the jingle and clatter of Gibbs' keys. There was the very satisfying thunk of the deadbolt unlocking and Tony dropped the remote onto the coffee table to sit back and watch Gibbs instead.

Gibbs came through the door with his duffle bag over his shoulder. He had on jeans and a sweatshirt, and Tony could see the edge of a light blue t-shirt on underneath. He turned to lock the door behind him, sliding the chain on as well. His keys were tossed onto the table by the door next to Tony's, and the bag was dropped on the kitchen counter. He turned towards where Tony sat on the couch staring at him and smiled. "Hey."

"Hey." Tony said. They stared at each other for a long moment and then Tony opened his arms, stretching them out for Gibbs. The older man laughed and moved towards the couch. Tony loved the sound of Gibbs' laughter.

Gibbs plopped down on the couch against Tony and wrapped his arms around him. They sat there holding one another for a long time. Gibbs breathed Tony in, grateful for his comfort.

Tony held onto Gibbs as if though he was going to slip away if he let him go. His sweatshirt smelled like sawdust and Tony buried his head in it at Gibbs' neck. It was soft, and Tony wanted to curl up there and sleep for days. He felt weak and tired after his altercation with Jacobs. He couldn't remember ever going off like that on someone. He had wanted to multiple times, but had always opted for sarcasm and various forms of revenge. Sure, he had yelled at people, but the rage and the fear that rage was based on made it a different scenario than any he could ever remember.

When Tony hadn't spoken for almost twenty minutes, Gibbs decided he needed to. "It went that bad, huh?"

"Yeahhhhh." The word was almost a groan. "I kinda lost my cool there for a minute, but he won't be bugging you anymore." Gibbs' eyebrows arched in curiosity, but Tony didn't see them with his head still buried against his lover. Gibbs decided to let it go for now. There was something else they had to talk about.

"I know I said that we shouldn't choose people at work for our... whatever you want to call them, but I think the person both of us would be most comfortable with me talking to is Ducky."

Tony sat up and looked Jethro in the eyes. "If you get to talk to Ducky, is it okay for me to choose someone at work, too?"

"Well, yeah, but we still have veto power. If you don't want me to choose Ducky, I can keep thinking about it and choose someone else. I don't think you'd really like the other options, though."

"No, actually, Ducky would be great. I've been kind of surprised by who seems to be my best candidate." Tony was hesitant to tell Jethro his decision. He interlaced the fingers of his right hand with Jethro's left and then looked down at them. "You're probably going to be, too."

"You gonna tell me who it is, or make me guess?" Tony smirked at Jethro's impatience. He took a deep breath and looked directly into Jethro's blue eyes.

"Tim."

There was a long pause, but then Gibbs opened his mouth. "Yeah, I'm surprised. Why Tim?"

"I don't really have any close friends outside of the team these days. I trust him. And there's something else that I really need to talk to you about." Tony could feel Gibbs tense next to him. Those words had never bode well for Gibbs and he froze hearing them.

"Hey, hey! It has nothing to do with me, you or us." Tony felt Gibbs relax slightly and squeezed his hand. "But you might not be happy. I hope you are! I am, but I don't know, because this is one of those situations where sometimes, you just get..." Gibbs' hand came up and slapped Tony lightly in the back of the head. Tony's eyes closed and he smiled.

"Just spit it out, Tony."

"Tim and Abby are dating. Seriously dating." Tony cringed, waiting for Gibbs' reaction, barely able to look, but not able to look away. He saw Gibbs mouth fall open a little and his eyes widen slightly in shock.

"When did that happen?" He finally got out.

"The same time we were happening. Kind of." Tony said.

"Oh."

"I told him not to let it get out until I talked to you. And I have to tell you that if you leave here to go kill him, I'm going to give him a heads up. It's only fair that he gets a head start." The seriousness in the room broke and Gibbs scoffed, shaking his head as he tried not to laugh.

"Come on, Jethro. You and I both know that there isn't another person in the world that we could trust to cherish her the way she deserves. And he is just so... he's happy. Really happy. Haven't you seen it this week? They deserve each other. Like we do." Tony squeezed his hand with each point he made. The last one made Gibbs snap out of his thoughts and smile at Tony. Tony looked up at him with his best puppy dog eyes and Gibbs chuckled, shaking his head again.

"I guess it's okay," he finally acquiesced.

"Which part?" Tony asked.

"Both parts. I just can't seem to get my head around either piece."

Tony nodded. "Well, McGeek and I have definitely had our differences, but over the past couple of years, that's slowly been changing. I think there's more happening there than meets the eye, and I think he's become more insightful. Not to mention, you know he's going to come to me with Abby issues when they arise. It would be easier if I could do the same."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of them having issues." Gibbs said with a bit of a wince.

Tony laid his head back on Gibbs' shoulder. "Well, neither do I, but _we're_ going to have our own issues one day, no matter how much we don't like the sound of _that_. We're going to have to be there and support them when they have their arguments, their roadblocks and such. The kid's a genius, but even he can't completely unravel the mystery that is our Energizer-Abby." Gibbs smiled at that.

"Hopefully he can unravel whatever problems you take him." Gibbs said quietly, holding Tony closer.

"It's up to me to fix the problems. He's just there to advise, listen when I need to let off steam, and check for concussions now and then." Tony shifted to wrap his arms around Gibbs with a relieved smile on his face. This was going to be so much easier with someone to have his back. What was even better, it was kind of a two-for-one deal. Ducky would be available to talk to as well. It was the best news he had gotten all day.

Gibbs pulled him up by the chin to look into his eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I am now. I wasn't earlier, to be completely honest." He paused, wondering how much he should reveal about his confrontation with Jacobs. "You might not be able to get Jacobs to look at you tomorrow. Actually, you might be lucky if he even shows up."

Gibbs tilted his head, but that was as much of a reprimand as he could muster up. "He's not going to be pressing charges or anything, is he?"

"Um, I don't think so. I didn't lay a hand on him. Everything else? Well, that's all hearsay." Tony smiled his most innocent smile at Gibbs, who just shook his head and smiled back. He felt an odd warmth rush through him at the thought that Tony had defended them, and more importantly, that he had handled the awkward emotional situation so that Gibbs wouldn't have to.

"Thanks, Tony."

"Anytime, Jethro." Gibbs leaned down and kissed him gently. Tony enjoyed the soft contact from Gibbs' slightly chapped lips. Gibbs pulled back and slid out from under Tony, not letting go of his hand.

"Let's hit the sack. Been a long day." Tony was on his feet before he knew it, being pulled towards the bedroom. Gibbs let returned his hand so he could close the door to keep the chill out. Tony moved towards the bed and turned down the covers. It was after midnight when he set the alarm, and the exhaustion he felt was already pulling at his eyelids.

Gibbs dropped his jeans onto the chair next to the closet. His sweatshirt joined it and he climbed into bed wearing his boxers and the blue t-shirt.

"I love that color on you," Tony said with a happy sigh. "So damn sexy."

Gibbs smirked and pulled the covers over them. Tony reached out and turned off the lamp. He rolled over to face Gibbs and immediately felt the man's strong arms pulling him closer. Tony threw his arm over his lover, and moved a leg so that it wrapped around Gibbs'. He had a serious need to be close and tried to tangle up with him as much as possible. He could feel Gibbs smile into his neck before he heard the quiet voice in his ear.

"Do you realize that this is the first night we've spent together that we're just going to sleep?"

Tony's insecurities came to the front. "You okay with that?" He asked, trying to quell the panic.

"More than okay with that. I just enjoy being with you. Doesn't matter what we're doing." Gibbs kissed Tony's neck by his ear and then rested his head against him. "Thanks for going to dinner with me. Next time it will just be us. Promise."

Tony's apprehension fell away and every bit of anger, tension and stress evaporated. Right now, it was just him and Jethro, snuggled up together under a warm comforter, spending the night in each other's arms. It was just what he needed.

"I love you, Jethro."

"Love you, too, Tony." Tony could already hear sleep in Gibbs' voice and smiled to himself as he let it take him as well.

The alarm clock began blaring at 0630, startling Gibbs out of a pleasant dream. He wasn't used to the harsh sound and was bewildered at how Tony was sleeping through it. He shook Tony a little to try to get him to wake and turn it off, but the younger man just turned into him, trying to snuggle into his warmth. It was really cold in the apartment and Gibbs shivered as he reached out from under the blanket to smack the screaming clock.

Gibbs ran his hands down his face and realized his nose was icy. _Damn, the heat is out._ Gibbs reached down to wake Tony up and stopped. He looked so peaceful and simply beautiful lying against him. He really didn't want to wake him. Instead, he wanted to lay there staring at him until the cold demanded they start moving. He thought about what Tony had said the other morning. _After the op, I'm definitely getting my day in bed with him._

He finally reached down and shook Tony, then reached up and ran his hands through his hair, nuzzling him a bit, then kissing his cold nose. "Come on, sexy. Time to get up." Tony's eyes fluttered open. He looked confused for a minute and then smiled up at his lover.

"Hi." Tony's voice was soft and dreamy and Gibbs felt the sound go straight to his chest, making his heart flutter. He wanted to remember this moment forever. Tony looked so happy, so content. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

"Hi," he whispered back and ran his knuckles down Tony's jawline tenderly. "Sleep well?"

"Really well."

"Me too."

Tony felt the chill of the room but somehow, waking up next to Gibbs had made him even warmer inside. He wondered how it could feel so right just to wake up next to someone. With Gibbs, he felt like that was something he needed to do every morning, like it should have been first nature all along. He had rarely liked waking up next to someone. It usually meant that all of the alcohol he had consumed with whatever one night stand he was with put him under before he could make a gentle, anonymous escape.

At that moment though, there was nowhere else he'd rather be in the entire world, than his crappy apartment, with the heat out yet again, curled up in his bed with Jethro.

"Your heat is out." Gibbs said, slowly running his hand down Tony's arm that lay on top of the blanket, making sure he was warm enough.

"Yeah. I've gotten used to it." Tony replied with that dreamy voice still.

"Used to it? How often does it go out, Tony?"

Tony shrugged. "Every now and then. They'll have it fixed by time I get home tonight." He really had gotten used to it. The building was older, and the landlord who bought the place shortly after Tony moved in was a tightwad. He would have his son come fix the boiler at some point during the day when old Mrs. Henderson across the hall called to complain, and then that would be that- until next time. It probably happened more often, but he wouldn't know, having spent so many nights elsewhere with cases and women. He didn't think about all of that while Gibbs held him, though.

Gibbs, however, suddenly felt over-protective of him. He didn't like the idea of anyone he knew going without heat on a cold March night, especially Tony. There was no reason why they shouldn't have working heat in his building. It wasn't like they were in a third-world country. Tony worked too damn hard to live in an apartment with no heat half of the time. He needed a better place.

The idea flashed through Gibbs' head that Tony should live with him. He knew that was irrational at this point. Things were still too new, and hiding _that_ from the team would be impossible. There was no sense in Tony moving into a new apartment though if eventually he would be moving in with him. The assumption that one day Tony would move in made Gibbs stop his gentle rubbing and stare into his lover's sleep-glazed green eyes. Maybe that's what _he_ wanted, but he had no idea if it was what Tony would eventually want. He shifted in bed so that he could pull Tony close to him.

"You okay, Jethro?" Tony asked as Gibbs buried his head in Tony's shoulder, clinging to him.

"Yeah. Just don't like the idea of you waking up cold."

Tony chuckled lightly and ran his hand though Jethro's silver hair. "I think it's put me in touch with reality a bit, brings me down to earth. I kind of like things that do that. It helps sometimes."

"Helps what?" Gibbs said softly, confused and intrigued.

"My fear that I'll someday become my greedy, selfish father." Tony said, voice suddenly solemn.

Gibbs' head jerked up. "Tony, you aren't your father. You'll never be your father. You have already proved yourself a better man than he will ever be."

Tony gave him a genuinely warm smile. "That just might be the sweetest thing you've ever said to me. Or anyone's ever said to me actually."

Gibbs snorted a little, but the look on his face was happy and relieved.

"You really don't like my dad, do you?" Tony asked, a half smile on his face. He was trying to rebuild things with his dad, be he knew that the old man had left a sour taste in Gibbs' mouth since day one. Tony enjoyed the overprotective Gibbs. It made him feel safe and wanted.

"Don't know how you got that idea, _DiNozzo_." Gibbs said with a smirk.

Tony's eyes seemed to twinkle with mischief. "Well, in that case, maybe I'll invite him up for a nice, long visit. Hey- since my heat sucks, maybe he can stay with you!"

Gibbs shook his head and rolled his eyes. Tony chuckled.

"Come on _Gibbs_ ," he emphasized. "Time we got ready."

Gibbs pulled Tony into his arms again and kissed him thoroughly. Once they separated Tony stared at him, blinking. "Wow."

Gibbs smiled and kissed him again. Tony leaned into it at first and then pushed off of Gibbs' chest, trying hard to ignore the tantalizing muscles under his fingers. "If we keep kissing, we're going to be late for work again."

"I can't wait for this damn op to be over!" Gibbs said with a groan, releasing Tony and rolling out of bed. Tony smiled and took in Gibbs' erection tenting his boxers. He let out a similar groan and fell back on the bed. He wanted nothing more than to go join his lover in the shower, but he knew they had already stayed in bed much longer than they should have. He laid there a minute or two and then decided to put the coffee on.

Crawling out of bed, the chill hit him and he shivered. _It really is cold in here_ , he thought. He stretched as he headed for the kitchen, yawning as he went. He added a scoop of coffee to the filter to make it strong enough for Gibbs and flipped the switch.

In the bathroom, Gibbs was stepping out of the heat of the shower onto the freezing tiles. Even the steam hadn't warmed the room much. He wrapped a towel around him and took the hand towel to his hair.

He thought about what Tony had said in bed. _Does he really think he's anything like Senior?_

Gibbs shook his head slightly as he lathered his face to shave. He thought about the first time he had met Senior. He had always been taught to respect his elders, but any respect he had shown the man was only out of a sense of required politeness. He had been a shitty father to Tony, and thankfully, Tony wasn't around him enough to turn out like him. Tony had one major trait in common with his father: he knew how to put up a good front. Tony, however, had hid behind his walls for protection, not deception. He hadn't let anyone close for his emotional safety.

Gibbs hated talking about emotions, but when it came to Tony, he felt desperate to learn more. It was a fairly new concept. He had been so much younger when he had Shannon and Kelly in his life. Maybe emotions came more naturally to him then, maybe he was just too young to be as closed off as he was now, or maybe he had stopped dealing with them so long ago, and now that he allowed himself to feel something good, it was defrosting him inside. Who knew? This morning though, he was very aware of how intensely Tony's eyes shone with love, adoration, happiness, and trust in a way that made Gibbs shiver at the thought of it, sending warmth through his veins.

Tony came in with two mugs of coffee, sitting one on the sink's counter and sipping from the other. Gibbs smiled down at the brew and Tony leaned in to kiss the back of his neck before sitting his own down on the ledge and turning on the shower.

 _Nothing like Senior. Nothing at all._ Gibbs thought as he finished shaving and rinsed his razor in the sink.

Gibbs wiped his face off and turned to look at Tony, the water cascading down his shoulders and back, taking shampoo on a trip across the muscles there. He followed the suds with his eyes, watching them run between Tony's ass cheeks and his legs before finding the drain. He pulled the curtain back, deciding that he didn't care if he was late to work or not.

Tony looked up as Gibbs opened the curtain to find smoldering, dark blue eyes staring back into his own. He knew that there wasn't enough strength in him to fight the surge of desire that look sent through him.

Gibbs' hands slid around Tony's waist and his lips found his neck where it met his shoulder, first suckling and then nibbling. Tony groaned and gave into it, his hands already against the wall, waiting impatiently for Gibbs to take him. The older man's hands explored the ridges of Tony's stomach and chest, caressing up, going against the flow of the water and causing Tony to shudder.

Tony felt Gibbs' erection rubbing against his ass as Gibbs pulled him against his chest in his explorations. His cock ached as Gibbs' nails began to scratch his skin and his lover's mouth attached itself to his neck. He hissed in the mixture of pleasure and pain as Gibbs bit down hard on the side of his neck, right under his left ear. Tony tilted his head to the right, allowing Gibbs better access, which he took advantage of.

Gibbs' hands left Tony's torso, and Tony heard the click of a bottle. He could tell it was his conditioner by the smell, and a moment later he felt a finger gliding effortlessly into his asshole. Gibbs groaned behind him and Tony's head fell forward against the tile. Another finger joined the first immediately and Tony bit his lip in anticipation while the fingers expertly stretched him. A third slipped in and they thrust forward to find Tony's prostate, causing him to gasp and shudder hard.

"Please, Jethro," he whimpered.

That's all it took. Gibbs removed his fingers and angled himself to enter his lover. Tony's tight ass welcomed him completely with one swift motion. Tony moaned as Gibbs groaned and reached up to interlace their fingers, hands pressed against the wall to either side of Tony's head. Gibbs' hips stilled, allowing both he and Tony a moment to adjust to the penetration. Tony didn't want to wait. He jerked his hips forward and then back against Gibbs, letting him know exactly what he wanted.

A deep groan resonated through Gibbs' chest so that Tony felt it in his back, pressed against the man. There was no stopping him after that. He plunged in and out of Tony's tight hole, filling him, pulling out, and then slamming back in. Tony panted and moaned, loving the quick, rough thrusts. His dick was against the cold tile, rubbing up and down against the wall with each push forward, finding the tiniest relief in the friction over the tiles.

Gibbs stood still and began pulling Tony back against him, hands on his hips, fingers digging in so hard that Tony knew they would bruise and he didn't care. Tony thrust back against him with equal strength, speeding up with every movement.

Gibbs' right hand released his lover's hip to reach forward and grab his cock. It was wet and slick from both the shower's warm water, and the thick pre-cum that was oozing from its head. He ran his palm over the slit and then down the shaft causing Tony to thrust even harder and faster against him. Gibbs' pace was quick from the beginning, knowing that he didn't have long at all until his restraint would give out.

A minute later, Tony was growling loudly, his head tossing back and his cock swelling slightly before releasing all over the wall in front of him. His body went stiff, the muscles around Gibbs' cock tightening with a death grip, causing Gibbs to come so intensely that he yelped into Tony's ear as he fell against him. His pelvis thrust twice more involuntarily and he shook, his body pushing Tony's into the tile, while warm water rushed over his head.

Tony gasped against the wall, waiting to feel the ground under his feet again. Gibbs sputtered with each of his own heavy breaths, trying not to drown but unable to move. A few minutes went by and the water began to chill. Gibbs very carefully stood up, pulling out of Tony. He grabbed the soap with one hand and gently pulled Tony to an upright position with the other, kissing his neck softly.

Tony's head swam with the heady wonder of the orgasm. He felt Gibbs cleaning him quickly with a bit of soap and then turning the water off. A moment later, he was being toweled off and his eyes finally opened. He cautiously turned to his lover. "I don't care if we have to tell the team we were fighting killer ninja clowns in the parking garage. That was definitely worth being late." Gibbs chuckled and leaned in for a quick kiss and then ushered Tony out of the shower.

"I don't think I have time to shave," Tony said, running his hand along his jawline. Gibbs hands were immediately around his waist, chin resting on his shoulder.

"A little stubble is sexy now and then," he said, softly into Tony's ear. He kissed the dark bruise forming on Tony's neck and then looked into his eyes in the mirror. "You might want to consider a turtleneck today."

Tony laughed. "You think?"

* * *

Ten minutes later, they were both in the kitchen, sucking down a second mug of coffee each. Tony had decided on a dark gray pair of wool slacks and black turtleneck sweater that successfully covered the marks on his neck. Gibbs had decided that he liked the look on him and had taken to watching him intently.

"When are you going to go talk to Ducky?" Tony asked.

"I think as soon as I get in, before I get involved with the op."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Tony asked, kind of wanting to be there for their first outing.

"If you want."

Tony nodded. "Yeah. I think I'd like that. It would be our first announcement that we're a couple. It's kind of a big deal."

Gibbs smiled and sat his cup down, then moved to wrap his arms around Tony's waist and draw him into him. Tony wrapped his arms around Gibbs' chest and held him back. "You ready for this?" Tony asked him in his ear. Gibbs' arms tightened around him.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, but you..." he sighed deeply and kissed Tony's head. "You mean everything to me, Tony. You have meant so much to me for so long, that I don't think Ducky will bat an eye."

Tony looked into Gibbs' frosty blue eyes and saw the truth there. "You really are happy, aren't you?" he asked, mesmerized.

"Well, yeah, Tony. You think I'm faking it?" Gibbs tried to joke, but the honest insecurity that Tony was displaying made his heart ache.

"No, it just still surprises the hell out of me when I see you look like that and know it has something to do with me."

"It has everything to do with you, Tony." Gibbs said, feeling his gut twist. What was it going to take to convince him that he was wanted, loved, and invaluable?

Tony's eyes were half squint in disbelief and his mouth was open a little. It was a look Gibbs had learned long ago meant that Tony was trying to understand something.

"I want you, Tony, just as you are, in my life- in all areas of my life. For good. One day, I'll convince you of that." Tony cocked his head to the side and watched Gibbs' face as it gave away his anguish at Tony's self-doubt. It was overwhelming to him that Gibbs, of all people, was showing such tenderness towards him. He had spent so much of his life feeling unloved, and now that he had the perfect love, with the perfect person, it was simply unbelievable.

"I hope you do." Tony said quietly, green eyes meeting blue.

"I will. I promise."

* * *

The two men entered autopsy a little before nine after dropping their stuff off at their desks and excusing themselves from the bullpen. Tim and Ziva had exchanged a curious look after their eyes followed them to elevator, but nothing had been said. Now, the doors swooshed open before them and they faced their first coming out.

Ducky greet them with a cheery disposition and Jimmy looked up with a smile, already sanitizing some equipment.

"Morning Duck. Can we talk to you?" Gibbs asked.

"Why certainly Jethro! It's good to see you both. Haven't had the pleasure this week."

Gibbs nodded to the walk in freezer and took a look up at the corner where the camera was, making his point. Ducky's eyebrows raised and the three men shuffled into the cooler. As soon as they were in there, door closed, Tony moved closer to Gibbs.

"Damn, Jethro! What is it with us and cold places today!" Ducky stopped and looked up at them, taken aback by Tony's use of Gibbs' first name and confused by the reference.

Gibbs smiled at Tony and shook his head. "Real subtle there, Tony."

"We're in a freezer, Jethro! Short and sweet!" He was crossing his arms and stomping his feet but smiling.

Gibbs chuckled again and then turned to their friend. "Duck, Tony and I are dating."

"And then some." Tony added, shrugging a little, staring up at Gibbs with the same adoring smile he was receiving. Gibbs reached out his hand and Tony reached out and took it gladly, finding himself pulled close as Gibbs ran his hands vigorously up and down his arms to warm him, then holding him close. They had forgotten for a moment that they were expecting a reaction from Ducky.

"I have to say, this is a bit of a surprise, gentlemen." They both turned towards him, but the happy expression on his face relieved the momentary apprehension. "How long has it been since the divine intervention that changed your relationship?"

"Last weekend." Gibbs answered.

"You will both be careful with one another, I surely hope?"

"We're going to do our best Ducky." Tony said seriously.

"No one knows either of your backgrounds, ticks and tells like the other. I believe this could be a wonderful experience for both of you. Yes, I think this could be very good for you both, indeed."

"Thanks Duck. We're not telling anyone but you and McGee for a while." Gibbs said, relief flooding him.

"Timothy?" he asked.

Both Tony and Gibbs chuckled. Tony answered for them. "We both have decided that we needed a confidant to talk to. You are Jethro's and Tim is mine. No matter how happy we are together, we know the opinion wouldn't be shared by all, so we need this to stay hush hush. However, we are realistic enough to know that we'll need _someone_ to talk to when we step on each other's toes."

"Well, I am honored you both would consider me so trustworthy. I just hope Abby doesn't wear Timothy down for information." Ducky said.

"I have a plan for that. I'm going to be talking to Abby next. I'm not telling her, but I think I know how to keep her off of our backs." Tony said from his position against Gibbs. This was news to the older man and he looked down at Tony for answers. "Trust me," Tony said with a smirk. Gibbs nodded and looked back at Ducky.

"I'll give you the full story after I'm finished with this op, Duck." Gibbs said.

"Yes, I do believe a nice dinner is long overdue. Let's get out of here before Anthony freezes to you and we can't keep this delightful secret." Ducky said with a chuckle and a wink. "I'm very happy for you both. You seem so much younger, carefree... I think you suit one another."

He gave them a smile that made Gibbs and Tony look at each other with their own matching shy smiles. They had done it. They had come out to Ducky. Gibbs leaned in and gave Tony a quick kiss that made Ducky's smile double. He had never seen his old friend so happy. He turned to exit the freezer and the two men followed him, bursting at the seams.

"I'll be in touch, Ducky." Gibbs called over his shoulder as he and Tony walked out of autopsy.

"Later, Jimmy!" Tony called over his shoulder.

Once alone in the hallway, Gibbs turned to Tony. "Warm yet?"

"Getting there. That went pretty well, don't you think?"

"Told you he'd be fine with it. What are you going to say to Abby?" Gibbs was obviously a little tense about the closest thing he had to a daughter finding out about them.

"I'm going to tell her what I've already told Ziva and Tim, that I'm seeing someone, it's serious, and that I'm not wanting to talk about it until I am ready. You know, ask her not to pressure me because I'm still trying to get comfortable with it all. I think she'll understand that." He shrugged, hopeful that she would respect his need for space. "You're going to have to give her a similar story, you know. The whole team is under the assumption that you're seeing someone. Eventually, it's going to come out that you are, and she's going to be pissed at you if you don't say something."

Gibbs ran his hands down his face. "Yeah, I know. This would be so much easier if we just weren't on different levels here. No one would be able to do anything if I wasn't your boss, and we could let all of them know."

Tony looked at Gibbs a little curiously. "Would you really want to do that? Tell them all about us?"

"Well, the team, Abby, the people we're close to, of course. I'm not ashamed of you, Tony, and I'm definitely not ashamed of what you mean to me."

Tony beamed back at Gibbs. "You just keep amazing me, Jethro."

Gibbs shrugged. "Just wait until I get you alone again. _Then_ I'll really amaze you." Gibbs' smile reached his eyes and Tony's mouth fell open a little bit. Gibbs turned around, leaving Tony in the hallway, slack-jawed.

"Not fair! Sooo not fair!" He finally managed to holler after him. Gibbs threw his hands up to the sides in a gesture that could only mean, "So?"

Tony shook his head and went in the opposite direction towards Abby's lab.

Abby was already rockin' out to something hard enough that Tony was sure they had recorded nails on chalkboards and mixed it. "Hey Abs!" he hollered over the music. Abby reached for her remote to turn the noise off and smiled back at Tony.

"Yeesh, Tony! All smiles again? That's a record, even for you!" Abby crossed her arms and took in Tony's composure from head to toe.

"That's kinda what I'm here to talk to you about, Abs." Tony said, worried he wasn't going to find just the right words for once.

"Ooo! Dish!" she said, clapping her hands gleefully.

"Welllllll..." he began, moving to stand next to her and lean on the counter. "What I'm about to tell you, I need you to keep within the team. It's really important to me."

"Whoa, okay. You know I can do that. What's up?" Abby moved to sit up on the stool in front of her counter and watched Tony's face.

He couldn't help but smile, thinking about his relationship with Jethro. "I'm seeing somebody. It's pretty serious Abs. I think it might be the one."

Abby's mouth dropped open and she slid off of her stool. "Oh. My. God. Tony. You mean, like, THE one. The big one? The forever and ever, happily ever after, take the vows, buy the ring, say I do, buy a house together and make little DiNozzo babies- the one?"

Tony laughed. "Well, most of that, yes. There's something else." Tony hadn't told Gibbs that he was letting this part out, but he decided Abby could handle it, and after all of her own disclosures, deserved to know it.

"Something _else?_ Good grief, I don't know if I can take anymore!" Abby was jumping up and down in circles and clapping her hands, pigtails flying. "Who am I kidding? Yes I can! Telllll mmmeeeeee!" She stopped jumping and moved towards Tony, shaking his shoulders a little.

"Whoa, Abs! Okay, Okay!" Abby stopped shaking him and he looked up at her.

"Abs, it's a guy." Abby's mouth dropped open and she sat perfectly still, speechless.

"Abs, say something." Tony said after a moment.

"Wow." She said softly.

"Well, that's something. Now say something more." Tony said, a little nervous. He knew that Abby had spent time batting for both teams, so he wasn't nervous about that. He was just nervous that she would be mad at him for not telling her that he had as well.

"When did that happen?" She asked.

"This past weekend. I haven't dated a guy since right after college. This one has been a long time coming though, and I have never been this happy in my life."

"Well, who is it? Do I know him?" she asked, getting excited again.

"I'm not telling anyone who it is yet, Abs. And no one else on the team knows that it's a guy. I'm not ready to tell them all yet until I know he and I are on the same page. I have never considered that my happily ever after would be with a guy, but apparently... it just might be." Tony gave Abby his most pleading look. It worked.

"I swear, Tony. I won't tell anybody, and I hope you'll tell me soon! I hope he's everything you've ever wanted, and I hope that he deserves you and treats you right because if he doesn't, I'm going to get Gibbs to kick his ass and if need be, destroy all the evidence, if you get my drift, because I can't imagine Gibbs ever finding out someone has hurt you and letting them live. He's like a big over-protective bear, you know, and if he ever found out someone hurt one of us, he'd probably hunt them down and maul them to death and then I'd have to find a way to take care of it, but hopefully he wouldn't actually maul him because that would be really hard to clean up after, but I could do it! And I would! For you, Tony! Oh I'm so happy for you!" She finally stopped rambling and threw her arms around Tony.

Tony hugged her back fiercely. She was one of his favorite people in the entire world. He wished more than anything that he could tell her that Gibbs _was_ the man of his dreams and his happily ever after. He knew he couldn't yet, but was glad he had the courage to come out to her. Now he had fully told Ducky, mostly told Abby, and he was about to tell Tim. He felt bad for a moment that he hadn't included Ziva in his round of explanations, but with their sketchy past, he wasn't sure it was the best idea yet.

"I promise I'll keep you in the loop. As soon as we decide to tell our family and friends more, I'll come find you. Until then, try to give me space to deal with it, okay?"

Abby nodded and let Tony go. "You just tell me when you're comfortable. Totally on Tony Time. I get it."

"Good. Now, about you and Tim."

"OH MY GOD, HOW DO YOU KNOW?" All of the color drained from Abby's face immediately.

"I have my ways. I've talked to Gibbs, and he's okay with it. I need to know though, are you okay with it, Abs?" The color rushed back to Abby's face, turning it a shade of pink Tony had never seen it, and the smile that spread itself across Abby's lips was nothing like he had seen on her before either.

"Yeah. I'm definitely okay with it. Tim and I talked for a long time on Sunday, and I think I'm ready for more. It's new for me, too. We've agreed to be completely open and honest throughout the entire relationship about how we're feeling about it. He's so much more laid back than he was when we first... well, you know."

Tony nodded, well aware.

"You know something though? I thought I'd want to take it all slow and work my way into it, but I'm really enjoying it. I think he's kind of hesitant to move things forward, and I can completely understand why, but I am finally ready to, you know, go deeper, and he's not really going there. It's confusing. Good! But confusing." She tugged at one of her ponytails.

"Well, tell him that, Abby. You just said that you promised to be open about it all. He might be relieved to hear it. Tell him." Tony took the hand that was tugging the ponytail in his and squeezed it. "He really cares about you, you know. Has for a long time."

"Yeah. I know." She said gently, almost with shame in her voice, or maybe regret.

"He's waited a long time for you to come around. I know you make him happy. Just relax and enjoy it. You both deserve that." He squeezed her hand again.

"Jeez, Tony. When did you get to be so good with this relationship stuff?" She joked.

"I've been saving it up until I had my chance with Mr. Perfect," he said and winked at her. "Gotta get to work. Let me know if you need an ear." Tony pulled Abby into another big hug and then released her to head upstairs. Two down, one to go.

Tony finally got back into the bullpen at 0945. It had been a hell of an hour. Tim and Ziva looked up from their computers at him and he grinned. "How was the coast, kiddos?"

Tim looked at Ziva and shrugged.

"It was kind of nice actually." Ziva said.

"Good! Get the videos?" Tony asked, opening his email client.

"Yes, we did. They are prepped in the conference room whenever you're ready." Tim said.

"Very nice. Now, for the important question. Did somebody make popcorn?" Tony looked back and forth between the two of them. They both gave him a look like he had two heads, both of them immature and ridiculous. "Come on people! We can't watch a movie without popcorn!" He reached into his desk and pulled out a bag of salted and buttered microwave popcorn and tossed it to Ziva. She caught it mid-air with a laugh.

Normally she would have found it to be absurd, but popcorn actually sounded good. She hadn't slept much, spending most of the night with Dion, and hadn't had breakfast. She got to her feet and came around her desk. "You are lucky that I am in a good mood, Tony." She disappeared around the corner towards the break room. As soon as she was out of sight, Tony turned to Tim.

"Hey." he said in a hushed voice. Tim looked over at him and Tony nodded for him to come closer. Tim came over and leaned down on Tony's desk. "I talked to Gibbs. You're safe. I have to talk to you about something important though. Lunch, me and you?" Tim's relief sunk through his whole body.

"Sure. So he's really okay? I don't have to worry?" Tim asked in disbelief.

"Nope, and once we talk, I think you'll understand why." Tony said.

Tim gave Tony a deciphering look, wondering if he already knew what was going to be said at lunch. He shook the idea off. "Lunch then." he said and moved back to his seat.

Tony wasn't sure if he liked the look he just got from Tim. He seemed to have an assumption of his own he needed confirmed. _Well, if he does know, all the more reason for him to be my confidant,_ he thought. Tony gathered up his case files and headed towards the conference room.

Five minutes later, Tim and Ziva came in, files, cans of soda and popcorn in hand.

"Nice! You even got drinks! Bonus points for the Probette!" Ziva rolled her eyes and set the stuff down on the table. The three of them sat around the conference table on one side facing the plasma on the other wall. They passed the popcorn down the line, each taking a handful as Tim hit play.

The screen came to life and two women appeared. It was obvious which was Claire Stafford, and which was her shrink. Stafford's hair was a mass of tangles and resembled a nest. She obviously had made no attempt to take care of it herself and from what Tony had been told, had been combative towards anyone who came near her. Her face was thin and her body gaunt. Her shrink had told him that for a long time, she refused food. Until she was medicated, they couldn't get any nutrition in her, and that is how they had gotten the okay from the courts to sedate her so heavily.

Tony shuddered. He would rather be put to death than spend his life under heavy sedation. He had been drugged a few times over the course of his career and he hated the feeling more than anything. Not having control over his body and mind was his worst nightmare.

The conversation was a series of half answered questions and then Stafford suddenly went off on a tirade. It was a clear, cold and concise description of how she had killed her two granddaughters. She didn't seem to know they were her granddaughters though. She spoke about them like they were her daughters. She really was twisted.

Tim handed the popcorn back to Tony and he took a handful, chewing while he thought over the woman on the video. She seemed so angry at first and then as she talked about how she had murdered McGaffey and Cusack, she calmed tremendously. It sent a chill down his back and gave him the willies. The psychologist seemed to keep her cool, but Tony saw that even she had swallowed hard when Stafford's voice dropped to a sharp, cold tone as she described the end of Cusack's struggle in the pool.

The session ended soon after, and Tim hit the stop button. They all sat there slurping their sodas and chewing their popcorn. "Well, that was creepy." Tony said, sitting back. "Anyone else wonder just how crazy she really is?"

"You think she's faking it?" Tim asked, eyebrows up in disbelief. Tony flashed back to Gibbs in the kitchen this morning. _You think I'm faking it?_ Tony smiled. The honest answer was the hardest to believe. He knew that Stafford was crazy and dangerous. She might not be as crazy as she was letting them believe, but she was in the right place regardless. She was never going to get out after the DA had this video anyway.

"No, she's nuts. Let's wrap this up. McGoo, make a copy for the DA, a copy for each of our reports, and then send the original back to the shrink. Probette, call McGaffey and check in on him, make sure he's still handling the information okay, then call the shrink to let her know we're sending her back the video." Tony picked his folders up and downed the rest of his can of cola. "See you all downstairs."

Tony left the conference room, tossing his can in the trash on the way out. He was going to check in with Vance. When he had led the team while Gibbs was gone, he checked in with Jenny from time to time, letting her know how the case was going. He felt he should extend the same courtesy to Vance, and Gibbs would most likely be with him.

He stepped into the Director's waiting room and asked Pam if he was in. She smiled and nodded. "He's in there with Agent Gibbs. They aren't on lockdown. You should be able to go in."

"Thanks, Pam." he said, opening the door casually and heading in. Gibbs and Vance were sitting at the conference table talking. Gibbs' sudden smile could have split his face. Vance turned to see who had entered with a start.

"Agent DiNozzo. What can I do for you?"

Tony tried to keep his smile in check and look at the director more than Gibbs. "Just came to give you an update on the Kenthauser case. Well, both of you."

"Sure, join us." Vance said, looking at Gibbs who had gotten his smile under control.

Tony moved to sit at the conference table across from Gibbs and plopped his file on the table. "Stafford is nuts. Certifiably. And creepy as all else. McGee is making copies of the video for the files and for the DA, who has already begun the paperwork to make sure that there is no way in hell this whack-job will ever make it back out into civilization. She describes the murders perfectly. I want to request your permission to quietly investigate the other murders she admits to in her sessions."

"Why?" Vance asked and Gibbs looked at him, intrigued.

"The shrink says that they had stopped looking into them, knowing that many of the stories she told them were false, but in this case, she says that the women she killed are her daughters, which we know isn't true. It's her granddaughters that she killed. Something about how she told the story has my gut churning. I think she knew that they were her granddaughters, and said they were her daughters to throw off the shrink. If I'm right, then she may have been changing details about the other murders so that she could brag about her stories, reliving them, while making them farfetched enough to not be believed." Gibbs was impressed with his agent. It was insight like this that made him so glad he had him on his team. Vance was looking at Tony as if though he had never seen him before.

"It may not lead to anything, but it couldn't hurt to take a look." Tony continued, confused by the looks he was getting. "If it doesn't, no harm. If it does, we could find closure for another family or families." Vance nodded his okay.

"Okay. Do what you have to do, just try not to read into anything that's not there," he said, his interest piqued.

"Thanks." he said. He was glad to have the go ahead to follow his gut on this one. He wasn't going to drag the probies into it unless he needed them, though. The notion could very well be all in his head and he didn't need them chasing ghosts.

"Everything else okay down there?" Gibbs asked.

Tony couldn't help the offended, sardonic laugh that escaped. He aimed a much harsher than intended glare at Gibbs. "Yeah. Everything is fine. This isn't my first rodeo. I can handle a couple of days," he said and got to his feet. He took his file and walked out, ignoring the slightly stunned look on both men's faces.

Gibbs and Vance exchanged a look, then Gibbs watched Tony leave the office. Gibbs felt the sting in Tony's words. He got lost in his own head for a moment, thinking about how things went down when he came back from Mexico and he had reclaimed the lead position from Tony. He had been an ass, and he knew it. It had taken a lot to get him and Tony past it. They were in such a different place now, but it hit him that he had never really given Tony the recognition he deserved for keeping the team together in his absence. _No, that's not it either. He didn't just keep it together- it was his, and I just took it back like it was nothing._

"You okay, Gibbs?" Vance asked, noticing how he had completely lost his agent in thought.

"Oh, yeah. Just realizing I'm a bigger bastard than I thought." He shook his head at himself, and the guilt started eating away at him. Vance laughed, but Gibbs didn't.

"I think I'm going to go grab some coffee. Are we done here for now?" Gibbs asked. Vance looked at him with concern, trying to pick apart his demeanor. It had changed drastically in the past few minutes, and he had no idea why.

"Yeah. We can regroup this afternoon." Vance watched Gibbs until he was at the door. Something had just happened, but he couldn't figure out what. He scratched his head and then gathered up the files he and Gibbs had been going through. This was turning out to be a really strange week for him.

Gibbs headed down the stairs and moved towards his desk. The entire team looked up at him as if waiting for something. When he left the bullpen without a word, it made Tony's gut flip. He hadn't meant for his comment to come out so snarky. He meant it more as a joke, but Gibbs' innocuous question had hit a nerve within him that he didn't realize was still raw

Part of him wanted to chase after Gibbs and talk about it with him, but another part of him realized that it really did still hurt that Gibbs had never acknowledged that the team had been his for more than three months, and that it had continued to thrive. Not only had he led the team, but he had been undercover with Jeanne, and led the Syria op. He knew that word had gotten to Gibbs about the offer to be team lead in Rota, but they had never talked about that either. What it all came down to was that he felt that Gibbs didn't have faith in his ability to lead.

Tony felt the anger bubbling back up in him that had never been properly dealt with. He knew that it wasn't going to be pretty. He began to open his drawer to grab his gun and badge and go find some peace at his spot on the wall to think it through, when his phone vibrated. Tony closed his eyes and sighed, not sure if he was in the right mindset to be receiving a loving or sexy text from Gibbs. He closed the drawer and looked down at his phone.

_I'm sorry._

Tony sat there speechless. Gibbs had just broken rule six, via text message. What was he sorry about though? Which part? Tony felt torn. He was trying to be angry, but failing miserably with every second he looked at that text. _Am I always going to give in like this when he texts me?_

Tony hit reply.

_Where are you?_

He grabbed his gun and his badge and headed for the elevator. The doors opened and he got in at the same time his phone vibrated again.

_The wall._

Tony descended in the lift, not bothering to respond to the text. He knew that Gibbs was waiting for him. He made his way through the lobby and out the doors to the right. Sure enough, Gibbs was sitting on the wall, and Tony felt his heart break. The look on Gibbs' face reminded him of a kicked puppy.

He approached him gently and stood in front of him for a moment. Gibbs looked up at him, trying to smile, but failing. Tony sat down next to him on the concrete and stone wall. He didn't say anything. He waited for Gibbs to talk. It took a minute, but Gibbs finally began.

"I'm a bastard, Tony. I always knew, but I just realized _how much_ of a bastard I really am."

Tony watched his face as he spoke. He wasn't going to deny it. Gibbs definitely had his bastard moments. He loved him despite them, and frequently for them, but this one was something that had needed to be rectified years ago. He needed to hear this.

"When I came back from Mexico, I was so wrapped up in myself, and so pissed at myself, the agency, and everything around me, that you... got railroaded. You finally had it. You had gotten your team, and I just took it away like it was nothing. And here you are, how many years later? And you're still stuck on my team, when you should have your own by now. Should've had it a long time ago. Hell, Tony, I didn't want to see it. I didn't want you to go." Gibbs let out a shaky breath, and Tony felt his own eyes burning. "I don't want you to go." That was all he had wanted to hear for years, and now that he had, he felt horrible. He had never meant to make Gibbs feel like this.

"Vance asked me just yesterday why you had turned down Rota. I told him to ask you, but _I_ never asked you. I should have asked you. I shouldn't have been such a dick, and maybe you would have told me about it, and I could have talked you into going, no matter how much that would have... hurt."

Tony couldn't take it anymore. "Gibbs, look at me."

Gibbs turned and looked at Tony. The use of his last name stung, and he wondered what was about to happen.

"It sucked. You were an ass when you came back… but I was just happy that you were back. Yeah, you should have handled it differently. You weren't yourself though. I turned down Rota for multiple reasons. The first was because of how weird you were acting. I couldn't leave the team with you knowing that you weren't back to yourself yet. I needed to keep any eye on you. The second, was because I had just spent three months without you, and I finally had you back, even if it was a bastardized version of you, and I sure as hell wasn't going to voluntarily leave you. In case you haven't figured it out, I need you in my life." Gibbs cracked a bit of a sad smile at that last part.

"So, let me get this straight, DiNozzo. You get your team yanked by this bastard, who doesn't give you five minutes to adjust to the change, and never says thank you for anything, and then you get offered an incredible opportunity in a beautiful city in Spain, which you turn down to stick around and babysit the bastard so that he doesn't fuck up the team he had just taken from you. You just might be an idiot." Gibbs looked at him, frustrated.

"Nope." Tony smiled at him broadly. "You see, I loved the bastard, and had loved him for a long time. I had to stick around and take care of him, and our team, because he meant and means more to me than anyone else ever has and ever will. And that team is my family. I had to protect them until he was well enough to safely lead again. Once _that_ had happened, I realized that I had to stay until I could find the courage to tell him just how much he means to me."

Gibbs couldn't help the smile that found itself on his lips. He had underestimated Tony for so long, and he knew that despite that, he was one of the few people in the world that Tony let in. He had to wonder, if he had been underestimating his SFA this much, just how much more he was capable of.

He swallowed hard. "Tony, you deserve better."

Tony shook his head. "No. I deserve the best, and that's what I have."

Gibbs reached out and took his hand, squeezing it. He knew they were out in public, right outside of the office, but for the moment, he didn't care. He needed this small connection, and he knew that Tony did too. He had always felt idolized by Tony, and he knew that was a big part of their dynamic. He wasn't sure what was going to change now that he knew the truth about how Tony saw him, but he did know that he really was the luckiest bastard on the earth, and he would do whatever it took to make it up to his lover and second in command.


	10. Chapter 10

* * *

_Going out of my mind these days,_ _  
_ _Like I'm walkin' round in a haze._ _  
_ _I can't think straight, I can't concentrate._ _  
_ _And I need a shave._ _I go to work and I look tired._ _  
_ _The boss man says: "Son, you're gonna get fired."_ _  
_ _This ain't your style, and from behind my coffee cup,_ _  
_ _I just smile._ _What a beautiful mess!_ _  
_ _What a beautiful mess I'm in._ _  
_ _Spendin' all my time with you,_ _  
_ _There's nothin' else I'd rather do._ _  
_ _What a sweet addiction that I'm caught up in._ _  
_ _'Cos I can't get enough,_ _  
_ _Can't stop the hunger for your love._ _  
_ _What a beautiful, what a beautiful mess I'm in._

* * *

Tony looked down at the hand that had taken his own. He was about to pull away, unsure of whether or not Jethro had realized that he was publically displaying his affection, at work no less. Then he felt the squeeze of the fingers around his and saw the desperate need in Jethro's eyes. Instead of pulling away, he squeezed back, ready to face whatever the consequences would be. He knew in that moment that his partner was more important than anything else in his life, including his job, and he knew that Jethro was telling him he felt the same thing with their entwined fingers.

Jethro was the reason his job meant so much to him to begin with. It was because Leroy Jethro Gibbs, notorious bastard extraordinaire, had chosen _him_ , handpicked _him_ , to be on his team. Jethro had taken him in and nurtured his investigative gut in that way that only Gibbs really could- with tough love, integrity and an inner strength that anyone could put their trust in. Those traits were exactly what Tony fell in love with. They took lust and turned it into a love that Tony was positive would last forever.

"You have me, Jethro, whether or not you like it. I'm not saying we're going to be perfect, but for the first time in my life, I'm not running away. I'm going to stay, and fight through your bastard moments, and my own insecurities. And when we come across those really bad days, where I spend hours at Tim's apartment keeping him from writing, and you end up having dinner with Ducky and Jack Daniels, we'll yell, and fight, and probably from time to time take it to the mat, but in the end, we'll be in bed, recovering from incredible make-up sex, holding each other simply because we can't let each other go." Jethro smiled at Tony, feeling surprisingly touched.

"Ten years is a long time," he continued. "We've grown together, and I'm pretty sure somewhere along the way, parts of us have merged. If I lost you, I'd be losing a piece of myself, the only piece of myself that I believe in. So, I'm not going anywhere, and I'll be damned if I let you escape. You're stuck with me."

Tony watched Jethro's body as he shivered. He smiled at the older man, and got a smile in return.

"You really have grown so much in the past couple of years. It's been a rough journey, but I hope I can make it worth your while."

"You already have, Jethro." Both men sighed in that way that made them smile at how in sync they were. "Let's grab some coffee and head back in. Busy days ahead of us, and the sooner we get through them, the sooner we can get home. Plus, it's pretty damn cold out here!"

"Which home are we going to tonight?" Jethro asked, pointing out Tony's use of the word 'home'. Jethro had realized as he hung up in the car yesterday that he had referred to Tony's apartment as home, and now Tony was doing it. It gave him a hopeful feeling.

"Let's do yours in case my heat is still out." Tony saw Jethro's expression change when he mentioned the lack of heat. He knew that Jethro hadn't been happy this morning when he told him about how frequently the heat had been going out. Giving Jethro's hand one more squeeze, he got up and headed for the coffee cart, the older man following a couple of steps behind, baffled by what had just happened. Tony had him opening up in ways he hadn't for twenty years. He felt out of touch with himself, and it was beginning to be a serious struggle to maintain his stoicism.

Gibbs came up next to Tony as the barista was handing him a cup, which Tony turned and handed to Gibbs. "My donation to the "Make Sure Gibbs Doesn't Kill Anyone Today Fund"," he joked and then turned to take his own cup from the woman behind the counter, stifling a laugh. Gibbs rolled his eyes and turned around as Tony got his debit card back. They walked into the building together in a much better mood than they left. They were a long way from perfect, but they had just cleared the air on one of Tony's biggest hang ups, and it felt fantastic.

The elevator doors opened and Tony smiled at the lack of people in it. The lift started moving and he reached forward to hit the stop button. Gibbs looked at him curiously, and Tony stepped forward, holding his coffee out to the side with one hand, his other hand reaching up behind Gibbs' head, pulling him in for a deep, sultry kiss. Gibbs found himself returning it immediately, wishing they were home and not in this metal box. If there was ever a time to connect physically, it was after what they had just talked about.

Tony pulled away first, gasping for breath. "Save the world quick tonight, and get home to me as soon as you can."

Gibbs was warmed to the core at Tony's use of the word "home". His house hadn't been a home in so long, and he missed it. He thought he'd feel guilty about wanting to resurrect the feeling that Shannon and Kelly had given the old place, but he didn't and that perplexed him. He stood there, lost in his happy thoughts while Tony pushed the button that brought the elevator back to life. _Wherever Tony is, is home now._ Gibbs knew that had been the truth for a long time. Mexico wasn't home because Tony hadn't been there. He had come back for a lot of reasons, but when it came down to it, he had come home because he needed to be around Tony, and a part of him had resented Tony for that. It wasn't like him to need anybody, and he realized then that he had and did need Tony. He felt Tony's hand reach out and give his a quick squeeze as the lift settled on their floor. He let go as the doors opened and they both moved swiftly into the bullpen.

* * *

Gibbs felt like he was coming out of his skin. The daze he was in was unlike anything he had felt since the first couple of years he was with Shannon. It had him lost in a headspace he wasn't used to. He sat at his desk, a soft smile on his lips, and stared at his computer screen, not doing anything but dreaming about coming home to Tony waiting for him that night. He realized he had been daydreaming for a while when his email notification popped up, the movement startling him. He saw it was from Tony and shook his head, clicking the icon to open it.

_You are staring off into space like a happy loon. Thought I should warn you, and tell you that it suits you._

Gibbs rolled his eyes and tried hard not to look over at his SFA.

_I can't control it! This new relationship that I'm in is making a mess out of me._

Gibbs hit send and then began opening other emails that he had been avoiding. A few minutes later, he got a reply from Tony.

_It's a beautiful mess._

Tony got to his feet, using his movement to hide stealing a glance at Gibbs as he read the email. He saw him freeze and his eyes get that dazed look again as he stared into the screen. It made him smile to himself and he turned to Tim, then looked back at Gibbs, causing Tim to look and see the look on Gibbs' face. Tony nodded at Tim, making eye contact. "Come on, McTimmy. Lunchtime."

McGee looked back and forth between Gibbs and Tony, the realization coming over him that Gibbs looked lost in a day dream, and that Tony seemed to be taking credit. He felt his entire brain freeze with shock and then the smile broke out on his face. "Right behind you." He grabbed his gun and badge, then slipped his trench on. Tony looked at Ziva as she shuffled through her bag for something, making sure she was distracted. He looked at Gibbs, who was now looking up at he and Tim, knowing what was about to happen, and winked. Gibbs beamed and shook his head, looking back at his computer screen. Tony barely nodded and smiled at his lover then headed for the elevator, Tim following him.

They weren't alone in the elevator, but Tim couldn't help but give Tony that knowing smile. The younger agent was exhilarated to be let in on the secret. Tony held in a chuckle attempting to escape his throat. Once they were out of the building, and walking towards the deli the team liked to go to, Tim couldn't hold it in anymore. "Wow. Gibbs? You? I mean, that's what's going on, right? I'm not just completely crazy. That's what has been… that's who you've been…"

Tony burst out laughing so hard he ended up choking and coughing, and laughing some more. Tim stood next to him, chuckling himself. "I never would have thought…"

"Oh, McGoo, you have to have thought, otherwise you wouldn't have figured it out." Tony said, trying desperately to catch his breath.

"Well, yeah, recently I had suspected, but really Tony? You and…" Tim moved closer to assure only Tony could hear. "You and Gibbs? Really?"

"Yeah, really." Tony still smiled, but he had turned serious.

Tim smiled back and shook his head. "I'm really happy for you. Both of you. I guess there's no room for him to complain about Abby and me dating, is there? I mean, if he's dating you, he can't really say anything."

"Oh, McGenius. This isn't just dating! This is _it_. This is… I want this to be forever." Tony said, the joy on his face revealing a genuineness that Tim had never seen Tony share with him before. Tim froze as the weight of the statement hit him.

"Oh, my God, Tony. You're serious. You really are in love with him. As in, forever, let's move in together, get married, sail away on a handmade boat with a case of bourbon…" Tim said, the laughter gone from his voice, replaced by a tone of shock and awe. Tony nodded slowly.

"You're starting to sound like Abby, but yeah, I'm serious, and I really am in love with him. And, apparently, the old blue-eyed bastard is in love with me." Tony let out a little closed mouth sigh. "Can you believe that? He loves me. I've been waiting years to get the mildest form of acceptance from him, and he _loves me._ I have been waking up all week, wondering if it's a dream, and then he's there, and I know it's not, and-"

"Whoa, wait. You've been spending the night with him all week? That certainly does explain a lot." Tim said, raising his eyebrows. Tony rolled his eyes, but his smile beamed his uncontrollable glee.

"He's spent the night with me a couple of those nights, too. Tonight it's his house, though," he said, smirking.

Tim shook his head and leaned against the wall that Tony was leaning against so that they were side by side. "Who would have thought that we would both end up in the relationships of our dreams in the same week?"

"Yeah," Tony said, and then he realized what Tim's words revealed. "How did you know it was the relationship of my dreams?"

"It's no secret, Tony. You get this unnatural obsession whenever Gibbs is dating someone, and you follow him around like a puppy. Any little thing he does makes you wag your tail, and any form of negativity from him makes you tuck that tail. And don't get me _started_ on your defensiveness. You were a mess after you pulled him out of the car at the dock. I've never seen you so formidable though. And then there's… well. You get my point." Tim shrugged. He figured old wounds should stay as healed as they'd ever get.

"They why are you so surprised?" Tony asked.

"I never thought either of you would go for it. You know, Gibbs appears pretty damn straight, and you've always given me the impression that you were going to hide from serious relationships forever-well, until lately."

Tony thought this over carefully. If McSherlock had figured it out, who else had?

"Do you think Ziva knows?" Tony asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice.

"She knows _something._ I think she believes you and Gibbs were together at the bar this weekend when you met your special someones. She told me that the two of you were still there laughing it up when she and Dion left. She thinks you are in on the secret and won't share details, but she's so wrapped up in Dion right now that she doesn't seem to mind." Tim said, thinking back to the discussions he and Ziva had during their road trip to Boston.

Tony moved away from the wall and motioned for Tim to keep up with him as they finished their journey to the deli.

"What do we know about Dion?" Tony asked, knowing Tim would have run a full background on him already. They were both very protective of Ziva after Somalia, and Tony still wanted to personally kick Ray's ass for breaking his Probette's heart. Her life was screwed up enough before he had messed with her.

"Dion Prisco, age 32. Lost his parents in a car accident when he was in his final year of high school and then travelled through Europe, learning how to cook. He's a naturalized U.S. citizen as well; immigrated here from Greece in 2002 when he came to the States to study culinary arts and business. He's been trained all over with various degrees from multiple culinary schools and internships. He's opening his own restaurant in the city this summer. He's written articles for endless cooking and food mags and he has his own video blog that he does in three, sometimes four languages. He's a real chef. Not a spy pretending to be a chef, but a _real_ chef. I was impressed. I even stole a couple of his recipes and made one for Abby last night. It turned out pretty well." Tim said, obviously impressed with himself.

Tony nodded his approval. Ziva just may have found herself an actual boyfriend worth having. The multiple languages thing was a plus, he knew, and not having an interest in law enforcement was just what Ziva needed. "Good for her." Tony said.

They approached the counter and ordered, and once they sat in a booth to dig in, Tony began telling Tim the rules of disclosure. "I know this is going to be the hardest thing you've ever done in your life, Probie, but you cannot, under any circumstances tell Abby about Gibbs and me. I've already told her I'm dating someone, and she has seemed understanding about my needing space before I tell everyone who it is. Hopefully she doesn't pick up that you know more than she does. That would be bad."

Tim nodded emphatically. "I will just tell her what I knew before today. You're dating someone, it's serious, you're nervous, don't want to talk about it. Amazing blue eyes." The smirk made Tony shake his head.

"Don't tell her about the blue eyes! That would just feed the interest, and we all know how much she loves Gibbs' blue eyes and silver hair. She just might make the connection and Gibbs would kill both you and me, making the whole cover up a moot point."

Tim shook his head again, taking a bite of his sub. "I still can't believe you two… So, _was_ it at the bar St. Paddy's?"

Tony nodded, digging into his own sandwich. He dusted the crumbs off of his hands as he reached for his soda. "Yeah. We talked and drank until the bar closed and then I ended up back at his house. Been one hell of a crazy week. Craziest week of my life." Tony shook his head and stared off into space. Tim finally laughed at him, breaking him from his daze.

"You got it bad, man." Tim said, reaching for his own drink.

Tony just gave him a haughty smile and a "Yeah, so?" which made them both laugh again.

Tony's voice went serious. "So, now you know, and Ducky knows. See, we've both decided that we need one person in our lives that does, for now, so that we each have someone we can go to as we have relationship issues and need to vent, or need advice. Gibbs chose Ducky, and I chose you."

Tim let that sink in. "You chose me?" Tony nodded. "You get one person to talk to about your relationship with Gibbs, of all people, and you chose me?" Tim seemed baffled.

"Yeah. I don't really have anyone outside of the team I'm close to. You're the only person I feel I can trust with this, Tim. I need you to back me up here." Tony said solemnly. His eyes locked on Tim's as he talked.

Tim took a deep breath. "You know I've always got your back, Tony. I'm honored. Surprised… shocked… but honored. Just let me know what you need."

Tony let a breath escape he didn't know he had been holding. "Thanks, Tim. It means a lot."

"Just so you know, that means that you have to help me with Abby." Tim said, a lighthearted tone back in his voice.

Tony smiled. "Yeah, I expected it."

"Wow." Tim said, the awe of the situation still hitting him. Tony wasn't worried though, Tim looked about as happy as he felt.

"Yeah, I know."

The two men finished their lunches, and then headed back towards the office. Tony had a million things rushing through his head. One thought suddenly jumped out at him though. "So, if you always thought that I had a thing for Gibbs, why didn't you call me on it when I made all of my gay jokes?"

Tim laughed. "Seriously, Tony? I knew they were your cover. Went through the same thing at MIT before my best friend came out to me."

"Oh." Tony said. Tim laughed.

They rejoined the mingling work crowd and all conversation about their relationships stopped. Tony knew he could count on Tim to be discreet. "I think I'm going to go talk to Ducky." Tim said, giving Tony a pointed look. Tony nodded and got into the elevator as Tim took the stairs. He headed up to the bullpen and past Ziva's empty desk, then dropped a sub off on Gibbs' desk. Gibbs looked up and then around at the empty bullpen.

"Everything go well?" he asked quietly, letting those blue eyes slowly scan him, sending shivers down Tony's spine.

Tony swallowed hard. "Yeah. Went pretty well. Tim went to see Ducky and commiserate on their horrible luck." Gibbs chuckled and Tony smirked. "So, when do you think you'll be outta here?"

"I really don't know. I might actually go home early, try to get some sleep before what is suspected to happen tonight happens. I'm telling you, this time difference is going to kill me." Gibbs' eyes looked directly into Tony's, smoldering.

Tony's looked back, trying hard to control the warmth spreading through him. "If it doesn't kill you, it might kill me. Wish I could get out of here early, but I'm waiting for the DA to get back to me on the warrant for the rest of the videos on Claire Stafford, and then I have to arrange for their shipment. And _then,_ we're on call."

Gibbs groaned and leaned back in his chair, head falling back in a way that Tony was pretty sure he had never seen him do. "That's right, Simmons' ball."

"What?" Tony asked, confused and distracted by the temptation of leaning forward and biting Gibbs' exposed neck.

The older man explained. "Simmons got engaged last month, and they're having some big shindig this weekend. Vance was going to take us off rotation because of the op, and make Simmons' team do it, but I told him there was no reason why you couldn't handle it. And now, there's a good chance we'll both be busy all weekend."

Tony felt a new type of warmth spreading throughout him. Gibbs had been the one to tell Vance that he could handle the team, despite the fact that it was going to impede on their weekend. Somehow, the way that Gibbs said it erased any fear of nepotism, and replaced it with a trust he had wanted to feel he had for years. "Well, that explains a few things for me," he said, voice breaking unexpectedly.

Gibbs eyes flicked up to meet his, concerned at the sound. They didn't have to say anything. They read each other like the open books they were to one another. Gibbs saw the hurt, the relief, and amazement in Tony's eyes, and Tony read the depth of sorrow and regret in Gibbs'. Tony smiled at him. "It's okay, Jethro," he whispered.

"No, it's not, and I'm going to fix it," he said quietly.

Tony shook his head lightly, staring into those blue eyes that he loved so much. "If I get the chance to leave even ten minutes early today, I'm taking it." The elevator dinged and Tony turned to go back to his desk. Gibbs sat forward and started unwrapping his sub.

"Ahhh, Probette!" Tony greeted as she came around the corner to her desk. "You got your report for me?" Tony sat in his chair and unlocked his computer before looking up at Ziva, knowing he had just gotten an eye roll from her.

"I just want to go over it one more time, Tony. You will have it in a few minutes," she retorted.

Tony noticed she didn't seem too happy, and it wasn't to do with his question. His eyes found Gibbs' and then they both looked back at Ziva before ducking their heads.

"Sounds deeeee-lightful, Ninja Chick. Just let me know." Tony's gears were turning, but he tried to keep a cheery disposition.

McGee came back through the bullpen quietly, having taken the stairs again. Tony knew that Gibbs was probably giving Tim a once over for any change in attitude now that he knew. Tony just smiled broader. He trusted his probie to keep what he knew to himself.

He began reviewing his emails from when he was at lunch, and saw one from Gibbs.

 _How is it that_ I'm _the one that can't keep his head on his shoulders, and you're getting more and more focused?_

Tony smirked. He knew what Gibbs was talking about, though. He had watched this week as Gibbs let go, opened up, relaxed, and let himself just enjoy the newness of their relationship. He, on the other hand, had felt more confident, in control, and on his game. It was what both of them needed. Tony always felt like he had been floundering for a place to put his focus, to show his strengths. Being left in charge this week had restored something in him that he didn't realize had been broken.

As for Gibbs? Everyone could use a break from the stiff, stoic, bottled up Gibbs, especially Gibbs. Tony wondered what else he could do to shake the man up. He loved watching his lover bursting at the seams with a happiness he couldn't restrain. No one Gibbs had dated, in the past ten years that Tony had known him, had been able to get him to do more than crack a smile at work. Tony had managed to make the man come unglued, and he was relishing in it.

He hit reply.

 _I'll always be there to hold it together when you need to let go a bit. It just happens naturally. I happen to be really enjoying "headless Gibbs". I hope he sticks around for a while. (Well, when he_ can _be around.) There's nothing wrong with being happy and enjoying this, Jethro._

_Things went really well with Tim. He's on board. He had figured it out, but apparently he has past experiences and insight that we don't know about. He's happy for us. (Not to mention relieved, because he knows that means that you can't say anything to him about Abby!)_

Gibbs looked down at his email notifications a few minutes later and saw two that stood out. He read Tony's and replied immediately.

_I wish today would go faster. Never been this anxious to get out of here._

He hit send and opened the second email. This one was from Tim.

_Congrats :)_

Gibbs looked over at Tim who peeked up from his work and met his gaze with a warm smile. "You too, McGee." He said. Tim nodded and went back to his work. Tony had watched the exchange and gave Gibbs a questioning look. Gibbs just smiled and shrugged. "I'll be in with the Director for the next couple of hours. DiNozzo's in charge this weekend. Try to get out of here at a decent time. It's been a quiet week, which means this weekend's gonna be hell." Gibbs was around the bend and up the stairs before anyone could wonder who had replaced Gibbs with a pod person. Tony fought back the smile that itched to be on his lips.

McGee started stacking his papers together from the printer to clip into his file folder. He opened the locked desk drawer and pulled out four copies of a DVD in sleeves. He slipped one into a pocket in his folder and then dropped the folder and two copies of the disc on Tony's desk before handing the last copy over to Ziva for her file. "Thank you," she mumbled gloomily. She looked over her file and then slipped the disc in the front pocket, distracted by something. She looked up to find Tim still standing in front of her desk and Tony staring at her from across the room.

"You okay, Ziva?" Tim asked, concern lacing his voice.

"Yes. I am just… trying to understand something." She came back to the real world a little, pulling out of her thoughts. Both Tim and Tony kept staring at her, wanting more of an answer.

"I am fine. Thanks though." Tim turned to go back to his desk, sharing a glance with Tony who discreetly ducked his head. He would give it a little bit of time before asking her again. Maybe it would pass. He hoped that Tony would be cautious enough to do the same this time and not get his ass kicked.

Ziva reprinted a page for her file and replaced it in the folder before handing it off to Tony. "Thanks, Probette. Guess it's time to break out the cold cases, kiddies." Tim groaned and Ziva just headed silently to her filing cabinet. When she didn't grumble, the two men looked at her again in concern. Tony watched her for a moment as she flipped through the folders in the drawer, looking for the point she had left off earlier this week. She looked worried and sad, and Tony wondered if he should pester her out of it. Something about her demeanor warned him off though, so he picked up the phone to check on the status of his warrant.

Tim looked through a file folder half-heartedly, struck with the Friday afternoon blues, and listened to Tony's call. Once he finally had the DA, he began asking about a warrant and video tapes. He felt his neck pop as he turned to look at Tony, confused. _Tony's working on a case without us? Not another undercover… please not another undercover…_

Tony hung the receiver up and made a few notes on a steno pad. "Something I can help with, Tony?"

Tony looked over at him as if he had forgotten he was there. "Oh, no. Not yet at least. Just following up on something to make sure all of the bases are covered on this case. If anything comes of it, I'll let you both know. I know no one enjoys cold cases like you guys, but I would never hog all the fun for myself!" Tony's joke made Tim roll his eyes and shake his head. Ziva hadn't heard a word of what they were talking about.

Tony buried himself in Ziva and Tim's reports, going over them and then going over his a third time. "Alllllrighty then! Good work team! I'm going to run these up to Vance." Tony said as annoyingly perky as possible, looking down at his watch. It was almost four. "If I'm not back by four, head home. Gibbs is right, this weekend will probably be hell. We haven't been needed for a week now. It's bound to catch up on us." Tim shrugged and Ziva's face relaxed considerably in relief. Tony really wanted to pry, but he knew now wasn't the time.

He headed up the stairs towards the director's office and stopped to make sure it was okay with Pam for him to barge in. He didn't have Gibbs' "forgive anything" clout. Just walking on in was something he reserved for extremely angry situations. He felt it helped get his point across better that way.

Pam informed him the room was on lockdown anyway and she motioned for him to take a seat with a smile while she called. A few minutes later, she told him to go on in. Tony got to his feet and pulled the door open. He fought hard to keep his game face on when he saw the group around the table. He hadn't seen anyone come in, so they must have used the back elevator this time. Vance, Gibbs, Jacobs and Malek were all there. Gibbs kept his game face on as well, but as soon as Jacobs had seen who was in the room, his head went down and his expression turned to stone.

"Agent DiNozzo, what can I do for you?" Vance said, coming to meet him at the door.

"Just wanted to give you the reports for the Kenthauser/McGaffey case. The DA got the warrant cleared and is informing the facility. They are going to stream some of the video they have, but the older stuff is on VHS and will have to be sent to me. They didn't go digital until a few years ago." Tony reported this looking into Vance's eyes, but beyond where the man stood, Gibbs had his cell phone out, trying to tap the buttons to text without his glasses. Tony kept his face straight, but he knew he was going to have to call Gibbs out on wearing his glasses to text later on for a good laugh.

"Good work, Agent DiNozzo. Let me know as soon as you can if anything comes of the videos. I hope you don't take offense, but this is one situation where I'm really hoping you're wrong." Vance said.

"That makes two of us, Director." Vance nodded at him and Tony knew he was free to go. Tony caught Gibbs' eyes for a quick moment, but again, both men managed to keep their faces emotionless.

As soon as Tony was back in the hallway, he looked at his phone. Sure enough, there was a text from Gibbs.

_We'll be leaving here soon. I have to be back at 2200._

Tony looked down to see that Ziva had already left and Tim was packing up. It was only five after four, but he was just as anxious to get out of there. He headed to his desk with a smile at Tim and began packing up his stuff. As soon as he turned off his lamp, Tim was next to his desk.

"Abby won't be out of here for another hour, wanna grab a beer?" he asked.

"Got somewhere I need to be as soon as I can be there. Raincheck?" Tim looked at him confused for a moment and then Tony looked at Gibbs desk. The light bulb went off over Tim's head and he laughed.

"Like I said, Tony, you've got it bad."

"Yeah, well, he's not the only one." Gibbs voice said from the steps as he bounded down them. Tony couldn't keep the smile off of his face.

Tim stood in disbelief, staring at Gibbs. "Yeah, I'm getting that," he said. He smiled back and forth between the two of them. "In case the weekend stays quiet, have a good one!" He left the two older agents standing there and headed for the stairwell.

Tony stared at Gibbs and Gibbs stared back for a long moment, the tension fizzling in the air between them. "We need to get the hell out of here." Tony said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper.

"Yeah, we do." Gibbs said and went to get his weapon and badge from his desk.

Tony was already at the elevator waiting for it to arrive. Gibbs was by his side as the doors opened and they got in together. "You don't have to be back until 10?" Tony asked.

"Nope."

"I think I can work with that." Tony replied, giving Gibbs a long up and down look before settling on those blue eyes. Tony had to restrain himself from reaching out to touch the older man. He knew if they started something, they would have the elevator stopped for hours. Gibbs watched Tony struggle with himself and smirked as the two of them got out of the elevator and headed towards their cars in the parking garage. "See you soon." Tony said as they split to go their separate ways.

"Not soon enough," Gibbs said under his breath while Tony was still close enough to hear.

"Tell me about it." Tony said over his shoulder.

Both men pulled up to Gibbs' house fifteen minutes later. Tony had followed Gibbs as he cleared a path through traffic, right on his tail the whole time.

Tony grabbed his go-bag from his car as he parked on the street in front of the house, giving Gibbs room to leave later when he had to return to the yard. Gibbs was already in the house by time Tony got to the door, closing it behind him and dropping his bag. That's when he saw that Gibbs' jacket was slung over the banister. Tony took off his turtleneck as he made his way upstairs, suddenly suffocating in the heat of the lust pressing against him. He left it over the top banister and started removing his belt. It hung from one last belt loop by time he came through the door of Gibbs' bedroom to find the man stripped down to his boxers in the doorway, waiting to grab him.

Tony's belt dropped to the floor as hands came around him, pulling him forcefully against skin as heated as his own. His hands reached up to grab the back of Jethro's head and pull him forward into a ravishing kiss. Their lips slammed into one another hard, and their tongues fought each other for dominance, neither sure which way they really wanted it, just knowing that they needed everything the other was willing to give and take.

Jethro leaned into Tony, his erection pressing against him. Tony gasped and his head went back, exposing his already tender throat. Gibbs mouth immediately went to suck on the deliciously soft flesh under Tony's ear when he felt the rugged stubble forming on Tony's jawline scratch his cheek. It was intensely erotic. It had been almost two decades since he last felt that kind of friction on his body and it made him moan deep inside. "God, you're so damn sexy." He growled into Tony's ear, bringing Tony back to his senses enough to re-launch his attack on Jethro.

Tony's hands began rubbing every inch of Jethro he could reach. His firm touch stroked Jethro's back, ass, hips, outer thighs and then back up to his shoulders. He could feel his lover's skin grow even hotter under his touch and it left him panting, wanting more. They started moving towards the bed, neither letting go of the other, both taking what they needed: Jethro's mouth on Tony's neck and Tony's hands on Jethro's back.

Jethro's hands moved to Tony's slacks, trying desperately to gain access to him. Tony's hands were up in Jethro's silver hair and had pulled him back into another warring kiss. Once Tony's pants dropped, taking his boxers with them, Gibbs pulled his own down and pushed Tony back on the bed, falling down on top of him and leaving his boxers on the floor. The kissing resumed and both men let their hands explore the other, aching to crawl under each other's skin.

There was a silent, frantic rush as they kissed one another passionately, pulling hair and biting lips mercilessly. Tony felt lost in the deluge. He teetered back and forth between trying to let go and let Jethro take the lead, and the sudden surges he felt running through him that made him want to roll Jethro over and pin him to the bed.

Jethro pulled back for a moment to catch his breath and stare into Tony's beautiful green eyes. His hand moved to Tony's face and ran along his cheek, feeling the stubble there. He was flooded with emotions that he hadn't let himself feel for years and he needed to get them out. He wanted Tony to know just how much he trusted him, how much he had needed him for so long, and simply how much he loved him.

Tony's heaving chest caught the breath on its next inhale. He saw straight into Jethro through his eyes. There wasn't a single wall left up in that moment. He was letting Tony see all of him, and everything he felt ran through Tony with the gentle touch of his hand.

The fiery need changed. It wasn't just sexual passion now. It was a need to show something, to share something. Tony exhaled, not even registering how much his breath shook. His hand reached up to rest on Jethro's as it caressed his face. Their fingers entwined and Tony took their joined hands and placed it over his chest.

"I want this forever, Jethro." Their eyes were locked as Jethro sighed heavily and laid his forehead on Tony's, trapping their hands between their chests.

"Me too, Tony. Me too." Tony noticed the waver in Jethro's voice as he responded. It was a perfect display of vulnerability, just when Tony needed it. They were on the same page here, equals. That was his greatest fear for their relationship, that he would constantly feel inferior to Jethro because of their working relationship. As the week had progressed, Tony had felt closer and closer to that balance, and in that moment, he had it. He knew how Jethro felt, because he felt it too. It was a moment of disclosure, opening themselves up to the other. It left them both as naked emotionally as they were physically.

Tony leaned up just a little to gently kiss Jethro's lips. It was a soft, full kiss, and Jethro returned it just as softly. Their lips found each other over and over again, taking turns tasting one another. The passion built again, heavier but slower, coming from somewhere deeper inside of them. The intensity of the pull was overwhelming for both men.

Jethro rolled over onto his back and pulled Tony with him so that he was on top of him, needing to feel the safety and protection that being possessed by Tony gave him. He hadn't felt in control all week, his world slipping away from him to be replaced by the one this beautiful man offered him. Everything in him begged to be let go, to be turned over to his lover. There would be no way he could focus on anything until he had that release. He knew it would take something strong to pull together all of the fraying, loose ends of his mind and now he knew what it was.

Tony saw the unspoken plea in Jethro's eyes as the older man used his strong arms to pull him on top of him. It was written all over his face and Tony felt it in every tense and tight muscle he touched as he ran his hands down Jethro's body. He was happy to comply. Tony looked down at the prone body on the bed, suddenly believing that nothing in the entire world could be more erotic than this strong, handsome, powerful, controlling man giving himself up to him. It was so much more than that though, and Tony knew it. Tony was well aware of what this kind of release required from his lover, the kind of trust it meant was being placed in him. He had wondered if the other night had been a once in a blue moon kind of thing, but then there was yesterday morning, and now here he was again with Jethro under him, being asked to take the lead.

He straddled Jethro, leaning down to kiss his lips and take his hands, pinning them above his head on the bed. "Just let me take care of you," Tony whispered into Jethro's ear before moving to kiss along his neck.

Jethro bit his lower lip as Tony's mouth sucked the base of his neck at his shoulder gently. Usually, when Tony took him, he had done so with a forceful passion. This time, Tony was taking his time, enjoying each sensation he could cause the older man to feel. The way he kissed Jethro's neck made him bite his lip. The way he rubbed his stubble covered chin along Jethro's made him groan. When Tony captured his mouth again after rubbing his nose along Jethro's, he elicited a whimper. Every reaction made Tony's heart beat faster, his blood boil hotter and his throbbing cock ache. He was enjoying it too much to go any quicker. He wanted to draw it out as long as he could, full appreciating everything his lover gave up to him.

Tony kissed his way down Jethro's chest, stopping to flick his tongue across the hard nipples waiting for him. He ran his fingertips down Jethro's sides the way he knew would make him squirm, and Jethro's hips came up off the bed involuntarily. Tony smiled down at him, loving every reaction he could get. His lips continued down his body, grazing on Jethro's hips, and stopping where his legs got hairiest at his knees.

The only control Jethro felt he still had was the last thread of restraint against the orgasm pounding at the door. He was on fire from head to toe, his entire body tingling and thrumming under his lover's touch. Any caress now, he was going to lose control over that orgasm, and it was going to drown them both. He found the whimper on his lips before he could stop it, "Tony, please."

Tony looked down on his quivering lover, appreciating the body below him and the breathless way Jethro asked for release. Tony reached for the lube from the nightstand and after shuffling for a few moments found the bottle. He bent over Jethro, kissing him gently, licking his lover's lips until they could do nothing but sit there slightly parted to let the shallow breaths escape between them.

Jethro felt every last thread of what had, just a week ago, been a solid emotional rope, fray. It was now a tangled, messy knot of emotions running through him and he understood what Tony had said in his email. It was an incredibly beautiful mess, and there was no other way he would have it in that moment. It was as natural to him as breathing to let himself be in this place with Tony. He had needed it for so long, and finally, he had someone in his life he could trust to release all of the tension, all of the hardness, all of the pain. He was protected, safe, and allowed to feel everything he had denied himself for so long. Tony gave him that gift, and to repay him, Jethro gave him all of himself, holding nothing back.

His hands moved to run his fingers along Tony's shoulders, not demanding anything, not even asking for anything, just allowing himself the extra contact with the man who was bringing the coldest, most hopeless parts of his heart back to life. He blinked back the tears in his eyes only so that he could continue watching Tony as he kissed his way back down his body.

There was no doubt in Jethro's mind that Tony was feeling everything he was making Jethro feel. He knew his lover, his best friend, his SFA could read his mind nine times out of ten, but this was something altogether different. Tony was focused like he was working on a case that had been trying to crack for years and had finally gotten a lead on. It was the same drive that Jethro had watched so many times turn the goofy frat-boy into the mature, focused, intensely dedicated man he was in love with. To have that focus turned on him was the balm he had been looking twenty years for. Nothing had come close to letting him be this free again since losing his girls, and Tony had figured out how to release him from all of the chains he had put on himself over the years.

Tony felt the sparks with every touch his lips made with Jethro's body. It was as if he could feel something dark drain from his lover with every contact, to be replaced with the love he felt. He needed to feel it as much he believed Jethro did. There was a part of him that clicked into place, a piece that he had never realized was even there, but now that it shifted within him, he felt stronger, wiser, better and worthy of the man he was connecting with so effortlessly for the first time in his life. There was so much more here than he had ever believed could be. He wasn't sure what there was more of, but he felt fuller, solid and enriched having Jethro's love and trust.

His eyes looked up to meet the blue orbs he felt on him as he slipped two lubed fingers slowly into Jethro to prep him. He felt empowered as Jethro's eyes rolled and his head fell back against the pillow, knowing that he could give this to him. Not just the sexual release, but a better him, a Tony DiNozzo worthy of Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Tony pushed his fingers in and out of Jethro, watching his lover pant until he began rocking against the fingers within him. He withdrew the fingers and poised himself against Jethro, slick and waiting. He pushed himself slowly against the tight ring of muscles waiting for him, and watched as Jethro's face relaxed and his chest rose with a sharp intake of breath. He slowly added more and more of himself until he could prop himself above his lover's body, capturing his lips in a tender kiss. He moved smoothly, gradually building a pace that had his entire body humming with electricity. He felt Jethro's tongue respond to his prompting and the kiss was just as slow and just as deep as Tony's thrusts.

Every touch of their bodies against each other created a sensation Tony had never felt before. It was like wherever they touched, they melded together, merging like clay, and it burned like fire and electrified like lightning.

His hand reached between them to begin stroking Jethro's leaking cock, spreading the fluid to make long, slick strokes, moaning deeply as Jethro's arms came up to pull him as closely as he could, crushing their mouths together again.

Tony knew he wasn't going to last much longer. Instead of the normal tingle at the base of his spine, if felt as if though someone had taken a stun gun to his back. He gave Jethro a few more strokes, suddenly changing to rough and short and he felt the body beneath him jerk and shake hard as Jethro came. Tony threw his head back and joined him, coming deep inside of his lover, his body shooting into an upright position with the power of the orgasm, one loud gasp the only sound that came from him. His hands reached out and found Jethro's and he held on tightly as they rode out the bliss together.

Jethro felt the release like a bright white flash that had taken his emotional mess and replaced it with a clean slate. It was unbelievably beautiful, and when he felt Tony's hands take his, he knew that he wanted to hold those hands for the rest of his life.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Tony awoke to the sound of the shower starting in the next room. He saw the clock read 8:42 and knew that, pretty soon, Jethro would have to be back at work, and he would be left alone in his bed for the night. He decided he would go in, too.

He crawled out of bed, a sticky mess and smiled at himself. He headed downstairs, naked, and set the coffee maker up for a fresh pot. He started the brew and headed back upstairs, determined to get in the shower after Jethro without letting them get side tracked.

He had figured he would go in and work on going through some of the video streams that the psych hospital was setting him up with. He worked best alone, at night, when he could focus. He hadn't told Jethro of his plans yet, so when he stepped into the bathroom as the older man was getting out of the shower, he found himself under the gaze of curious blue eyes.

"I'm not going to be able to sleep without you here anyway. Might as well head in and get through some of that video." He said softly, taking in the toweled body in front of him with appreciation, but no intentions.

Jethro smiled at him. That was his Tony. "Whatever you want to do."

Tony nodded at him, looking into those blue eyes as if it were the first time. "Do you have any idea how much you mean to me, Jethro?"

The older man's head cocked to the side, a wide grin on his face. "Yeah, actually. I do. I hope you know that you mean every bit as much to me." Jethro reached out a steady hand for Tony to take. Their hands touched and the spark they both felt was intense. No words were shared beyond that, none needing to be spoken. Tony squeezed Jethro's fingers and then stepped into the shower.

Jethro headed into the bedroom to get dressed, finally feeling grounded again. He felt good in every part of him. His focus was back and his head was clear. He knew he would be able to separate now, keeping his relationship in balance with his work life, and his emotions from his intellect. All of the things he _thought_ he should have been feeling before, the guilt, shame and struggle against what he had with Tony, were now reconciled with the knowledge that Tony was what he had been needing, what he had been waiting for to save him from himself and his past. There was no more treading the waters of "maybe" in his head, only a solid ground of relationship to hold him up. His doubts had all been replaced by a confident peace and he felt a new rope at his core, this one made of gold fibers, forged into a thick, unbreakable wire.

Gibbs and Tony drove separately to the Navy yard, but, for once, Gibbs drove at the speed limit. He was thinking about the op and the likelihood that tonight would be the night that they saw the bioterrorists flushed out of hiding. Between the word the operatives had got out that there was safe harbor for them if they turned themselves in for questioning, and the bounties on their heads by multiple weapons groups, factions, and a very large rebel family, they had hopes that by the end of the weekend, this round of threats would be snuffed out.

Gibbs and Tony parked next to each other in the lot. Gibbs looked over at Tony and smiled. When he came out of the op, he would have Tony to go home to. He could handle anything. They got out of their cars and headed towards the elevator.

"I hope things go easier for you tonight than they have been." Tony said quietly, making sure not to echo through the garage.

"Me, too." Gibbs replied. They got on the lift and Tony watched his lover's expression, took in his body language.

"You seem, different. Like "focused Gibbs", but "relaxed Jethro" at the same time." Tony said, feeling like he had witnessed a transformation as significant as a butterfly.

"Funny, that's what I feel like." Gibbs said, a curious smile on his own lips as he looked back into Tony's probing green eyes.

"It's hot. I think I'll keep you." Tony joked and Gibbs shook his head and smiled as he got off of the elevator. He was immediately back into work mode. He headed up the stairs, cup of coffee in hand, and scanned himself into MTAC.

Tony booted up his computer, and flipped his desk lamp on. He logged into the network so he could stream the feed directly to the conference room and set parameters so no one could tap into it. He had gotten a little rusty, letting Tim usually do all of this stuff. He had surprised himself a couple of years ago when he tried to do it the first time and he had picked it up rather quickly. He would never tell McGeek that, and certainly never Gibbs. He could use all of the aces up his sleeve he could get. It had gotten him started on dabbling in the tech world, and though he didn't really enjoy it, he wasn't bad at it.

Tony sat back in his chair and waited for the data stream to begin before transferring it. His mind was racing with everything that had happened this past week, but instead of the chaos that he had been feeling, it now flowed like a river, churning, stirring up things from the bottom, washing it clean.

He had more than one ace up his sleeve; all of his skills seemed to be up there, always hiding behind his goofy persona. To be constantly underestimated could be a blessing when he needed it, but he wondered how much longer he could go hiding his talents. Being with Jethro was bringing out all of his best qualities, and he felt the mask slipping away, being replaced by the person he had always wanted to be. He felt an inner strength taking over. He felt powerful and humbled by that power. More than anything, he wanted to be the man that Jethro deserved.

It was Jethro's confidence in him, his trust, his respect and love, that was making Tony feel like he was finally growing into his skin, giving him that strength to step up to the greatest challenge in his life. Tony's eyes closed. Maybe it was time to let go of all of the antics and shine.

He looked at the desks around him, and thought about the people that sat behind them. They were his friends, and they had given him the family he needed. He knew that no matter what, they would have his back and be there for him. But would they be able to understand the changes he would need to make in order to feel comfortable in his own skin?

He grabbed a couple of notebooks and pens, then headed for the conference room. He turned one of the end table lights on for enough light to write by, and then picked up the remote. He hit play and prepared himself for hours of disturbing video and note taking to prepare his research. He'd have to think about his future later.

* * *

Gibbs had walked into MTAC to find Vance talking to one of the operatives via satellite. Besides the controllers, no one else was in the room. He came to stand by Leon and looked up at the man on the screen. "Good evening Special Agent Gibbs," the man greeted.

"Good afternoon, Garnier. What are we looking at?" Gibbs asked, noticing that the man was on his satellite tablet like Jacobs had been.

"I'm staking out a building that I've tracked a couple of our running rats to. They're lower on the totem pole, the scroungers of the group, gathering the supplies needed to make the biological components weaponized. I am hoping that I will be able to capture one of them and gain information about who they are working with and where they are hiding out. My last interrogation revealed these two, and I have been following them since then. I have recorded them attempting to find something, going from place to place, but coming out without whatever they are looking for. They are getting more and more aggravated with each stop. I have been unable to get them in an isolated enough place to take both of them down at once, but this location provides a unique opportunity that could allow me to hopefully capture one of the bastards." Garnier explained.

"I want to know as soon as you have information. Prepare to detain him for an extended amount of time. We're keeping as many of these guys alive, as long as possible. If they have any information that could help us throughout the weekend, we're going to need it. We WILL wrap this up by Monday."

Gibbs was fierce again, and Leon picked up on it right away. He wasn't angry, just back to being Gibbs. Leon was glad. He had wondered yesterday if Gibbs had been getting too distracted this week. As happy as he was for the man and his apparently new relationship, he needed the bastard side of him to run this op, and he couldn't tell if his lack of input into the conversations at their round tables was his typically mute self, or if he was even with them. Leon left Gibbs standing in the middle of the room and sat down to watch as his agent took over.

"Evelyn, get me CIA Meisner." Evelyn looked up from her control board for a moment at the man next to her. She couldn't ever remember Gibbs using her name. Gibbs smirked, catching her surprise out of the corner of his eye. Half a minute later though, the screen went black which meant the connection was being made to Meisner's tablet. He was on the move, too, apparently.

Leon watched with interest. He had never heard Gibbs use any of the control operator's names, and he was impressed that she didn't pass out. She had made it over a whole year now in ops with the demanding older man. Leon wondered what she had done to earn enough of Gibbs respect to have a name. _If he's moved this much by whoever he's dating, I would hate to see what the break-up will be like._ Leon realized that he just automatically assumed that eventually, there would be a break-up, or in Gibbs' case, a divorce. Gibbs might be a pain in his ass, but he was becoming a trustworthy friend. He didn't want that for him. He thought about how different he had been all week, especially at dinner the other night. He liked the new Gibbs. Leon was distracted from his thoughts when Meisner appeared on the screen.

"Not alone here Gibbs. What can I do for you?" Meisner looked flushed and sweaty.

"In what way are you not alone?" Gibbs asked, tension in his voice.

"Just intercepted a target. Get back to me in a couple of hours." Gibbs nodded, satisfied.

"Is it who we were hoping for?" he asked.

"Yes, and we've gotten more than we bargained for. I'll debrief you in two hours." The feed went blank as Meisner turned off his tablet in a way that didn't faze Gibbs, but made Leon blink at the brusqueness of it.

Leon was back at Gibbs' side. "Who next?" Gibbs thought for a moment.

"Okay Evelyn, I'll need Stephens and then DuBois, and when they are clear, we need video feed of first Meisner, with infrared if we can access it right now, then the same for Garnier." Evelyn looked down at the panel, flipping switches and pressing buttons, typing interspersed between each, while quietly giving directions to the newbie next to her. She was confused that Gibbs was deferring to her specifically, but she found she worked even quicker and with more determination now that she had been acknowledged.

Stephens was up on the screen in a matter of seconds, having been waiting for contact. "Agent Gibbs, Director Vance."

"Lieutenant Stephens. What do you got for me?" Gibbs asked.

"I was able to track and interrogate Hamed. You were right; he was hiding right in plain sight. He agreed to come with me, scared of what his alternatives were. He told me that there was an entire ring of men that had gone to school in Europe and the states, just to come back here and create bio-weapons in order to sell them, and then with the money they would make, they would all leave town. They have a compound that they were planning on going to in northern Russia. The thing is, most of the group had decided to pull the wool over the eyes of the faction they were working with, weaponizing nothing stronger than the common cold. They had learned enough to know that any disease or bio-weapon like anthrax wouldn't kill the part of the population they wanted to go after, because they had all been vaccinated. It would be their own people that would be the hardest hit. So, they decided to use a particular strain of a cold that induced a really bad cough, and it would show similar signs of anthrax at first. That way the test subjects would show the necessary signs, and the ring would be paid and bail. The whole world would just be sneezing and coughing their asses off for a year while we all passed it back and forth.

"There were four men in the ring, though, that held the martyrdom card in their back pockets. Those four started to kill off the rest of the ring and announce that their weapons weren't genuine. One by one, the part of the ring with a conscience have gone missing. A couple of their bodies have turned up, but the rest are either being held against their will, gone into hiding, or have been killed and we just haven't discovered them."

Gibbs looked at Vance with raised eyebrows. Vance just shook his head.

"Our priority is finding the four. If we can find them, we'll find the rest. Do we have any names?"

"I have two of the four names, and six of the twenty other names." His voice was solemn, waiting for Gibbs and Vance to register just how many people were in on this. Gibbs bit the inside of his cheek, trying to keep his shock from showing. _That must be what Garnier meant about "more than we bargained for"._

"How many of the twenty are missing or confirmed dead?"

"Five are dead, twelve others are missing. Only three have recently been seen by family. I passed information as far as I could through the families about tonight's rendezvous. If they get word, I bet we'll have three more for the meet-up." The lieutenant looked hesitant for a moment and Gibbs prodded.

"What else, Stephens?"

"I just am afraid that the families will become targets. There have already been two cases of families being harassed for information about their missing members, and the wife of one of the missing was found dead this morning in a village square." Gibbs nodded.

"I understand. Our first priority has to be finding these people to stop the attack. We will do what we can as soon as we have a more solid grip on where this is going. Do you still have Hamed?"

"He's restrained and willing to be transported. He says that at this point, Gitmo is safer than the streets here." He said it without humor in his voice, and Gibbs knew that when Hamed had said it, it wouldn't have had any either.

Hamed had been a civilian that they had worked with who had gotten the bright idea to work both sides of the street. He got in too deep though. He had gone to school in the States, and his mastery of both languages as well as understanding of the cultural differences had once been a big help. Greed does funny things though, and pretty soon, he had betrayed his U.S. companions, and never did earn the trust of his Afghani cohorts. He was left by both teams to fend for himself against rebels he had inadvertently pissed off along the way, running to hide in Iraq. Now, it seemed, he was ready to come back and take his chances with the Americans.

"Probably the smartest thing that man has done in years," Gibbs muttered. Vance nodded in agreement.

"I want that list of names, Stephens." Gibbs took out the notebook and pencil from his pocket and began writing as the man rattled off names from his own list.

After they cut the video feed for Stephens, Gibbs held up his hand. "Hold on, Evelyn." He looked at Vance. "I want McGee to work on these names, Leon."

Vance sighed. "Your team is on rotation anyway. Bring him in."

"And Ziva is familiar with the area, and Tony is already here going through those videos. They would all be assets." Vance nodded. Gibbs pulled out his phone and texted Tony.

_Call in the team and get your asses into MTAC, ASAP._

Gibbs turned to Evelyn, who was watching him intently, waiting for his next direction. "Okay, bring up DuBois."

* * *

Tony looked at his phone as it vibrated against the table. He read the text from Gibbs and got to his feet, turning the video off. _It's about damned time,_ he thought as he hit McGee's speed-dial. _Should have been in there from the start._


	11. Chapter 11

Tony scanned himself into MTAC, a tiny smile on his lips. He felt strangely invincible. He looked up at the satellite imagery on the screen, then at the men who were staring back at him. His eyes locked with Jethro's as he strode forward to greet them. "About time. This thing has made me feel itchy from the beginning. McGee and Ziva are on their way in." Tony directed his comments at Jethro and then turned to Vance. "Director," he greeted with a nod.

Vance nodded back, taking in the exchange between his agents. Something was definitely different, but he couldn't place it. Gibbs eyebrows arched at Tony who stood his ground, arms crossed.

"We have been under an elevated threat alert for two weeks now." Gibbs started.

"I know. That's one of the reasons I had McGee and Ziva drive to Boston instead of fly." Tony said. "I wondered if that was what you were into up here." Tony's voice had barely softened, but Leon heard it. He stepped back carefully to sit in the first row of seats and watched the interaction between the two men.

"Yeah. We have evidence of a group of factions trying to use bioweapons to attack the US bases overseas and then back here. We've just been informed that there are roughly twenty-four people working with these factions. Were, twenty-four. We're down five, twelve are missing and out of these, four, at least, are willing to die to get their point across. We need help tracking down all information about who these people are, where they've headed and who they have had contact with." Gibbs said.

"Sounds like we'll be busy." Tony's eyes had begun to watch the satellite imagery on the screen. "Um, what are we looking at?" he asked. He didn't like what he was seeing. There were men running at the back side of a building from a distance from all angles and a truck coming up on it as well, but from the other side.

"Damn it!" Gibbs said. "Evelyn!"

"Already on it Agent Gibbs." Within seconds the screen split and Garnier's tablet was up.

"Garnier! Evacuate! I repeat! Abort! Get the hell out of there! Now!" Gibbs barked before the man had even come to the screen. In a moment, there was a sound of a gunshot and then the tablet was picked up. It was obvious that whoever had it was running.

McGee arrived in MTAC, coming down the ramp into the room. When he saw what was going on, he shooed the control newbie out of his seat and began logging into the server to hack the tablet. "Hey, Boss!" McGee called over his shoulder.

"About time, McGee! Get into that thing. I want all of the data copied and then destroyed. They CANNOT get what's on that tablet. National security, McGee! Go!"

McGee was into the tablet, navigating on the screen in a matter of moments. The camera flashed to the truck out front. Whoever had the tablet had just shot the driver of the truck. Both Gibbs and Tony let out sighs of relief. That boded well for their chances that Garnier was who had the tablet and not the rebels. After that, McGee had to take over the tablet, which meant the camera was inoperable. He had the files downloaded and then began erasing all of the data. Vance, Gibbs and Tony watched, breaths held until the blue line went across the screen showing the data destruction was complete. As soon as it was, the camera popped back up, and they could see that Garnier was the man behind the wheel.

"That was cutting it close this time, Gibbs! Let's not do that again." There were sighs and smiles from everyone in the room. Gibbs shook his head.

"I thought you got into this work for a sense of adventure, Garnier. Isn't that what you said? You're in it because you love it?" Gibbs joked with him.

"I love it when I'm alive to love it, you bastard. Let's keep me that way, shall we?" They could hear the laughter in Garnier's tone as he tore off down a dirt road.

"Tell me what you got and where you're going." Gibbs demanded, back to business.

"I'm going to hell, Gibbs," the fleeing agent yelled so he could be heard over the scraping of the tires against the sand.

"Oh, good. I'll have company." Tony joked.

"Holy shit! Is that you DiNozzo? When did you get in on this?" Garnier asked in surprise.

"Ten minutes ago. Saw you about to get your ass handed to you. We decided to save it instead of filling me in, so you'd better feel loved." Tony smiled. He had worked with Garnier on the Syria op. The man had balls of steel and killer instinct, while managing a mouth almost as smart as Tony's.

"Just like Syria, always saving my ass."

"Yeah, well, you know, I'm pretty good at it by now; got plenty of practice last time. So where are you really headed?" Tony prodded, not taking his eyes off of the screen, but feeling he was being stared at by everyone in the room. Neither Gibbs nor Vance had been around for Syria; Jenny had placed it in his lap. He hadn't had a shot at another while team lead.

"I'm scheduled to find Lieutenant Stephens tonight at the Kabul meet-up. Figure I'll try to ditch this vehicle somewhere up here, and then find a way into town."

Tony looked at Gibbs and Vance, not sure what the deal with the meet-up was. "What were you able to find out from your target?" Gibbs asked.

"Not good news. Do you want the bad, the really bad, or the crap-your-pants info first?" Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"No time for choices, Rod. Just spit it out." Tony said, arms crossed and a powerful feeling running through him like his veins were on fire.

"Got it. There's a group of twenty-four men known as Hajj's Ring. They sometimes call themselves The Fathers of the New Tribe. They were supposed to create an anthrax weapon, sell it, and then start a new colony in Russia until the disease had run its course. Most of the group decided to stiff the guys they were making it for. There were four loyalists though that were going to make sure that their mission went ahead as originally planned. They've killed more than half of the group. There are the four and then six others from the Ring that haven't been found," the man explained as he drove through the desert, dodging boulders and other odd obstructions.

"We've heard a little about this group. Last count we heard was that there were three that might be able to be found. Stephens knows names. Do you know the names of the six that are still alive? We have the names of the loyalists." Gibbs asked.

"My target only knew two of the names. They were the ones he was supposed to take out. If you've done what I think you've done to this gizmo, then you can pull them off of there. Be careful with that video, if you get my drift. The names are somewhere in the middle."

"McGee! Get those files onto one of those stick things and get them off the record. Now!"

"Already on it, Boss." McGee answered, fingers flying.

"Good. When you get it, go find out what's taking Ziva so long and get her on the video. I need every name, every location that escapes his mouth. Then I want to know his life history. Here, take these names too. Backgrounds and locations on as many of them as you as soon as you can. Get Ziva to help you as soon as she's done with the video."

Tim took the paper laid next to him and slipped it into his jacket with the thumb drive as he got up to leave. "Got it, Boss."

"So Rod, was that the bad, worse or super ugly?" Tony asked, knowing the answer already.

"Nothing's ever that easy, DiNozzo. But then again, we already know that don't we?"

"Ohhhhh, yeah. Keep going. Clock's ticking."

"Connolly was working with one of the four. He told them everything. We really are racing the clock." The entire room went silent.

"Well, Connolly has been dead a couple of days now, so they couldn't have known about the meet-up. Do you think it is still possible to hold it without endangering all of our agents and operatives?" Vance asked.

"Every one of us on this mission knows the dangers of what we're doing, Director Vance. It doesn't matter if they know our faces, our names, our blood types and our horoscope signs. The location is secure enough for what we're doing and we'll take extra precautions."

"That's not what he asked, Garnier. What are you guys walking into?" Tony demanded. Gibbs and Vance both turned to look at him, surprised by the tone in his voice. They weren't used to hearing Tony demand anything, but he was keeping Garnier in check with every turn.

"Honestly, it's going to be a shoot first, ask questions later situation. We can expect a casualty or two, and we'd be better off just shooting every single person in the room that doesn't know the secret handshake." Garnier's voice was solemn. "If we can take out the four loyalists, we're safer. If I knew who they were, I'd know who to target. All I have are names."

"We should be able to help with that." Tony said, already pulling out his phone to get the info to McGee.

"When you say a casualty or two, do you mean that literally? Because there's only four of you meeting at that location. I'd say those are losing odds against the amount of people we're expecting to show up seeking assistance." Vance said.

"I'm really hoping I'm wrong, but I know I'm not. When we show up tonight, we're sitting ducks from all angles. There won't be anyone in that room we can trust, and after Connolly, we'll be lucky if we trust each other."

"McGee is going to get the photos you need to your tablet, Rod. What else can we do?" Tony asked.

"Just do what you do best, DiNozzo, and save my ass."

Tony smirked. "I'll see what I can do, Rod."

"I haven't gotten to the worst part of this yet."

"What the hell else could be wrong?" Gibbs snapped.

"They have the anthrax. All they have to do is weaponize it."

" _Who_ has it, exactly?" Tony asked.

"The Qureshi faction. They obtained a vial of it from a lab in Egypt. It's scaring the shit out of everyone who walks on sand over here. These people are even more ruthless than the loyalists. They have no qualms with setting it loose on everyone from what my target told me, and in my own experiences with them, I can tell you, that's completely believable."

"Gee, thanks, Rod. Do you ever bring us good news?" Tony jested.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you!" Tony saw Rod's entire face turn up in a Cheshire cat's grin. "I know where the bastards are."

Vance turned around and folded his hands in front of his face in a quick gesture of thanks. Gibbs ran his hand through his short hair, and Tony's smile matched Garnier's.

"You prick! We're over here sweating our balls off, planning your funeral, and you've been sitting on this for twenty minutes?" Tony shook his head at the screen, amazed by his former cohort's penchant for drama.

"You know me, DiNozzo. I save the best for last. Their main base of operation is right in the heart of Kabul. They are keeping the anthrax at a smaller base though, three clicks west, outside of Kabul in a small village. That's where the loyalists are supposed to go to weaponize it once they have gathered all of their materials. The co-ordinates will be closer to the end of my interrogation." There was a smug sense of satisfaction in their spy's voice and Tony had to admit that he deserved to have it, but only for the fact that he got the info.

"Despite it all, right now, I'm really glad I know you Rod. So, Boss, what's next?" Tony asked, turning to find Gibbs looking at him with a bewildered look on his face.

"Garnier, do you think that you and Stephens would be able to take out either of these setups without being detected?" Gibbs asked, his focus back on the screen in front of him.

"I know we could take out the hut. I can get my hands on enough materials in the city. There's no way we could take out the faction headquarters though. It's in an underground bunker. You get to it through the basement of a mosque. There's apparently a tunnel that's been dug out of moveable stone wall. It's all very Sherlock Holmes." Tony's eyebrows perked up, but any movie reference that came to his head didn't even want to escape his lips. There were bigger fish to fry right now.

Gibbs didn't let himself react to the impossibility of taking out the larger headquarters. He nodded and directed the man on the screen in front of him. "When you get to the city, get the materials. When you do, get back with us. We'll get you in touch with Stephens, and we can coordinate taking out the hut. It is now priority number one. _The anthrax has to be destroyed._ We'll have to leave the meet-up to our other agents and some alternative tactics." Tony could see Gibbs' gears turning in his head, already thinking of those "alternative tactics". He wasn't sure he was going to like what they were, but they were in one hell of a bind. Anything that worked would have to do.

Tony realized that Vance had backed out of the picture again, sneaking off to the seats to take in what was happening in front of him.

"I have to say, I'm not going to miss the opportunity to play fish in a barrel wearing a cod suit," the man on the screen retorted.

"Anything else you want to tell us before we go, Garnier?" Gibbs asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Gibbs shot a look towards Tony, who couldn't help but feel that some of that annoyance was for him as well. Tony tried to figure out what he could be annoyed at him for. He couldn't think of anything he had said that would be inappropriate.

"Nope. I'll be in touch as soon as I have what we'll need." Garnier signed off of the tablet, Gibbs' style.

Tony turned to find Gibbs looking at him. He noted the frustration flitting across his lover's face for a moment and felt compelled to say something. "He's always a trip," he commented. "A pain in the ass, but a trip." Gibbs' eyebrows rose on their own accord and he turned to Vance.

"Time to see what Meisner found out." Gibbs announced.

"The second satellite feed? With the infrared?" Tony asked. Gibbs nodded. They both looked at the screen as the image was blown back up to engulf it. Gibbs leaned closer to Tony to point better in his line of sight.

"He's in there with his target. This is as clear as we'll probably be able to get it." Gibbs didn't bother moving away from the younger man, but did stand straighter.

"So, we're watching him get information and making sure he doesn't get tackled while he's… occupied." Tony said, nodding, one hand on his chin, his other hand crossed across his chest. "It looks like he's pretty isolated where he's at. Where is he anyway?"

"Don't recognize it?" Gibbs asked, a bit of humor in his voice. Tony noticed the smile on his face.

"Your backyard?" he joked. Gibbs chuckled, taking Tony by surprise. "Okay, so he's in Syria. Kinda wish it was your backyard, Boss. That would make this a hell of a lot easier."

The screen changed and Meisner's tablet feed came up. Gibbs started asking questions about what he had found out, Tony throwing in his two cents worth now and then, asking questions that Gibbs hadn't thought to ask.

Vance sat back and watched them working together. _Ten years, huh?_ he thought, wondering what it had taken for anyone to get so far into Gibbs' head to be able to bounce off of him so well without pissing him off. He was impressed with how DiNozzo had been able to just step into the op. He hadn't brought him in on much since he took over. Gibbs brought him in occasionally, but tonight was different. DiNozzo just seemed different to him in general these days. He wasn't sure if it was his opinion of him that was changing, or if it was the man himself, but he decided to keep his eyes open and watch the younger agent.

Gibbs was different having him there, too, he noticed. He initially seemed irritated with the younger man, but Vance saw how much more relaxed Gibbs was now that he was at his side. _Yeah, we're in a damned if we do or damned if we don't situation, but somehow, having those two on the case… I think we just might be okay,_ he thought. He sat back watching, feeling completely unneeded as the two men took on the op together.

Meisner had gotten similar information about Hajj's Ring. He added a list of faction members' names to the list and where they could be found. Meisner had a meet-up scheduled in Syria as well. It wasn't expected to be as well attended as the one in Kabul, but it wasn't any less dangerous. Gibbs informed him that they had arranged for a military transport to be waiting for anyone that took them up on the offer of interrogation and transport to Gitmo. The squadron that would be coming could serve as extra protection. The exhausted Meisner looked relieved.

When that screen went blank, Tony turned towards Gibbs. "I think I'm going to go check on the kids and see how they're progressing. I'll be back soon." There was a slight hint of promise in his voice and Gibbs felt a bit relaxed for it. He realized that he was really glad Tony was now in on the op. Their personal relationship aside, he was intuitive, communicated well with their operatives, kept them on task while still managing to offer a bit of levity that kept Gibbs' head clear, and simply blew Gibbs' mind with how naturally he fit into place, picking it all up as he went along.

 _Was he always like this? Or am I just noticing it now that we're together?_ Gibbs thought for a moment as he watched Tony leave the room. He turned his attention back to Vance to find him getting that stare that knew he was being read. "He seem… different to you, tonight?" He asked Vance, desperate enough for clarification to reach out.

"Yeah, actually, he does. I'm not really sure who that man was." Vance replied, confused that Gibbs had deferred to him just as much as the younger agent's complete change in demeanor had confused him.

Gibbs turned back to the screen as the satellite image returned.

_I know._

That was _his_ Tony. The Tony that came in at midnight to go through a cold case that had been bugging him, that sat for hours working on search results and piecing together cases with enough drive and focus that he blocked out the rest of the world going on around him. _So, that's what my Tony is like during an op,_ Gibbs thought. He suddenly wished Jenny were alive so he could ask her what Tony was like running the Syria op, then he wished she were alive so she could tell him what he was like as team leader while he was gone. He had seen Tony as team leader for a while there when he came back to help Ziva, but he knew that he hadn't quite been himself on any level then, confused about how to act around Gibbs.

He monitored the blue and red blurs moving around on the screen as he thought. _I shut him down then, I'm not going to do it again._ Gibbs vowed to let Tony know how proud he was of him. He knew that he had a lot to repair with his SFA and lover, but he believed that together, they could get through anything. His resolve strengthened him and his head cleared.

"Evelyn, get me DuBois."

Tony turned the corner into the bullpen to find Ziva with her headphones in, watching the video and taking notes. McGee was running searches on the list of names and had the plasma screen covered with information. "How we doing down here, probies?" he asked, lacking some of his usual banter.

Tim looked up at him. "Well, we have narrowed down the list of names to who is still alive… we think. It's our best estimate with what little data we have available, so it's a probable list. I've already sent the pictures of the four jihadists to Garnier's tablet."

"Send them to Lt. Edward Stephens' tablet as well. He'll be working with Garnier on their mission. Also, send them your probable list and whatever photos you have of them." Tony stood in front of Ziva's desk.

"What do you got for us, probie-chick?"

Ziva held up one finger, and then wrote something down before clicking pause and removing her headset. "These are the coordinates of the two sites that the faction is using." She tore off a piece of paper and handed it to Tony. "I am pretty sure there is something that is being left out though. There is something that the man being interrogated is not saying that the agent has not picked up on. It seems to be implied, but it is not said. There is a small smile that comes to his face from time to time. I am going to watch it again and see if I can figure out what the pattern is."

"A smile? That doesn't sound good. Show me." Tony came around her desk and leaned over it. Ziva went back into the video, and put an earbud in to listen and translate.

"Okay, he has just been… well… now he is saying that there is a large thatched roof hut with a green curtain on the door. It is where they have put the anthrax for storage. Then there, see? It almost looks like a-a-a grimace, no? But he does it multiple times, and seeing him do it over and over again, I believe it is a smile. Something is not right there." Ziva was looking up at Tony's stern expression, familiar with it from cases years ago when he led the team, when they had come across bad news.

"Ziva, find me two other smiles. I want them on the plasma. Tim! Move that stuff for a minute." Tony came up to the plasma and Ziva beamed her video to the screen. She rewound the video to another scene.

"McGee, look at this."

Tim got up and stood next to Tony in front of the plasma.

"The agent has just done something… rather painful to him, and now he asks him whether or not they have obtained the anthrax and how." Ziva said, sound mute on the plasma, but coming through her headphones still. "Now the man hesitates." Tony and Tim watched as Garnier broke what looks like, yet another finger at the hesitation. Tim flinched away and Tony ground his teeth a bit, their time in Somalia coming back to both of them. "He finally tells him that yes, they have the anthrax. They got it from a lab in Egypt. I will leave out the expletives." Ziva said from behind them. The three of them watched as Garnier took a deep breath, and made a circle around the man tied to the chair. As he walked behind his captive, the bound man smiled.

"That is definitely a smile." Tim announced and looked at Tony and then back at Ziva. "That was a smile, Ziva. Why would he be smiling?" Tim looked back at Tony who was shaking his head.

"That bastard knows something. Something isn't right. Keep looking!" Tony shouted as he hurried around the bend and up the stairs to MTAC. He scanned himself in, taking a deep breath. _This isn't good,_ he thought.

Gibbs and Vance both looked at him as he came in. "We've got a problem. Something isn't right. Ziva was watching the video, and that son of a bitch was smiling every time he talked about the anthrax. Something is wrong. Either that place is rigged or the info is bad. One or the other, our guys are going to be walking into a trap."

Gibbs shook his head. "I really hoped you'd be bringing me good news, DiNozzo."

"Yeah, me too, Boss. There's got to be a way around this. I have the co-ordinates here of where the anthrax is supposed to be kept and where the Kabul hideout is. Let's bring up the hut and see what we can find out." He handed the piece of paper that Ziva had given him to Evelyn, who immediately began working on bringing up the satellite feed that they needed. They were able to get a pretty good view of the hut. It was fairly large to be called a hut, but it was built in the hut style. Tony stepped towards the screen. "Are we able to get infrared on this right now?" He asked, looking over at Evelyn. She nodded and a moment later the screen changed to reveal the heat signatures of people moving about in the building. "Awesome. Thanks, Evelyn." Tony said.

The woman behind the console smiled to herself. She wasn't used to people having manners in this room, and tonight, she was surprised to find that both men had learned some. Vance noticed as well. _That's just too strange._

Tony and Gibbs were talking next to each other, pointing at the screen and the people that wandered around the house. There were multiple people in a huddle in one room, and in another room, two people were lying on two beds or mats. One figure was by each of the doors on the inside, and when they looked a hundred yards behind the house, they noticed a couple of people walking back and forth along the edge of a wooded area close to the house, patrolling. They had no way of knowing who they were, or what the people in the hut were doing. For all they knew, they could be weaponizing the bug right then, or they could be sitting around a table having a meal. The people on the edge of the forest could be Iraqi police, blind to what was going on in the home right by their patrol, or they could be members of the Qureshi Faction, protecting their investment. There was no way to know.

"I wish we could just drop something on them. Still not allowed, are we?" Tony asked, looking at Gibbs.

"No, we're not allowed to take any military aircraft over the area." Gibbs said, shaking his head.

"Was afraid of that. Well, you know what that leaves us." Tony said matter-of-factly.

Gibbs looked over at the younger man's serious expression, with no idea what he was thinking. "What?" He finally asked, caving.

"Rocket launcher." Tony said, looking at Gibbs with a completely serious expression.

"Tony, our guys are travelling as deep cover as they can get over there. In case you haven't figured it out, carrying around a rocket launcher isn't inconspicuous. They don't have one in their back pockets." Gibbs said, eyes rolling.

"Well, of course not, Gibbs. They're going to have to improvise. They're smart men, at least when they put their heads together." Tony smiled at Gibbs and saw the corner of his lip twitch as he tried not to smile back. "They can get the supplies for the bomb, and then find a way to use it grenade style."

Gibbs looked at him skeptically. "So, we're going to put the bomb in a slingshot?"

"Ooo… I like it! I wasn't thinking slingshot, more like a drive-by bombing, but a slingshot has potential. Not with the forked stick, of course, but I'm sure they could rig something." Tony moved towards the screen, not even realizing he was dodging a head-slap by doing so. "See this building right here? If they could get to the roof, they could find a way to fling it at the hut. It shouldn't just be a bomb though. Something they could set on fire, and shoot towards the exits as well so they can't escape, maybe. Grenades would work if one of them has a good enough arm."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Gibbs asked coming up next to him.

"Yeah! Why not? They can't get near that hut, Gibbs. If the Qureshi have booby-trapped it with the weaponized anthrax, it could get on our guys, and they could carry it through town. I'm not just thinking about Ed and Rod. They've had the vaccine, and all the Cipro a human body can handle. They won't be the ones to worry about… well, you know, other than the guns our bad guys probably have stockpiled. If it is a set up, they could walk in there, get some on them, and they might not even know that they are contaminated. We need to take that place down from afar." Tony looked at Gibbs and Vance without any of his goofy mask to protect him. He needed to stay as serious as possible, despite his fear of rejection at his idea.

"For all we know, the two people laying down there could be infected already, the test subjects." Tony turned back to the screen and stared at the two blue and red figures lying down. One squirmed in a way that all three men saw. Each of them saw the writhing figure, and suddenly knew that he or she was coughing so hard that they had to sit up and struggled to do so.

Gibbs looked at Tony from behind, remembering his lover in a hospital bed, coughing so hard he couldn't sit up, with the plague. He knew Tony was strong enough to survive that, but if the warped anthrax did make it to the States, he knew that Tony's compromised lungs wouldn't be able to fight it off. The idea made his stomach drop out.

"We'll see what Garnier and Stephens decide to do when they get back to us. If they can think of a way to do this, whether it's sling shot, drive-by, or magical fairy wand, we'll be lucky." Gibbs finally said. Tony just stared at the screen and nodded, watching the figure writhing on the screen. Another figure broke away from the table and rushed to his side. They stayed near one another for a long minute and then the writhing stopped and the one figured stepped back from the bed. They moved much slower back to the table. Each man watched, assuming the figure lying down had just died.

"We have to figure something out, Gibbs." Tony said quietly. "Otherwise, that could be everyone we care about."

Gibbs turned towards the control panel. "Evelyn, get me Stephens."

The woman nodded and a couple of moments later, the screen split, one side going black while they connected to the man's tablet.

"Gibbs?" A voice came through the air before the video did. Gibbs came forward to stand next to Tony.

"Stephens. You still have your target?" Gibbs asked, a crisp bite to his voice.

"Yes, sir. You told me to keep him alive, and I have. What do we need?" Gibbs looked up at the screen, thankful.

"We need a couple of things. Agent Garnier is going to be catching up with you. You guys are _not_ to go to the meeting. You have a target to take out. He has determined the whereabouts of the anthrax stash that the factions are trying to weaponize."

Stephens' eyes widened, but he was silent.

Gibbs continued. "You need to ask your captive if he knows anything about the hut outside of Kabul. It's off to the west, on the edge of a stretch of thin woods. We have reason to believe it is going to be a trap, one that we need to send you and Garnier into, unless you can devise a way to take it out from a distance. Get as much info as you can, however you have to get it, and then start thinking about how you can take out a building from half a mile away. It's about thirty feet squared, at least two exits, a front and a back, guarded, and we have reason to believe that at least one person has just died in the building from exposure. We'll be sending Garnier to your location. He will have some supplies to do the job with."

"Understood. Anything else, sir?"

"I don't care by what means you have to take this building down, just make sure it's with enough power to burn it down to ash. We've had suggestions of everything from slingshot to drive-by bombing. Just get it done." Gibbs said, trying to repress the corner of his mouth from twitching into a smile at Tony's suggestions.

"Now I _know_ that's Agent DiNozzo next to you. How you doing, Tony?" Stephens said with a head shake a smile.

"I'll be much better when you get this place incinerated. Wish we could be of more help, but you're a creative guy. You'll figure it out." Tony said with a slight smile.

"You remember! Hopefully we won't have to resort to _that_. I don't know where to get my hands on a tank at short notice." Stephens smiled at Tony, and Tony worked hard to repress the chuckle about to bubble out of him.

"Just get to it, Ed. We're already out of time to spare." Tony replied.

Stephens' face turned serious again immediately. "Understood."

The tablet went black and Gibbs looked over at Tony, one eyebrow raised.

"What?" Tony asked and then noticed Vance was standing behind them staring at him with the same curious expression.

"A tank?" Vance said, taking the bait.

"He got… creative." Tony said and turned back to Gibbs who was shaking his head and smiling. Tony couldn't help but smile at his lover as he lost the battle with the little bit of levity offered. "I think I'm going to check on the probies and grab some coffee. I'll be back." Gibbs nodded, knowing that Tony would bring him back some.

Tony stepped outside of MTAC and moved to look over the railing at Ziva and Tim, both working furiously. He noticed Tim's face was in the stony, focused stare that said he was analyzing data as he typed, running searches and hacking into things that Tony figured would require a "free pass" from Vance once he found out. Ziva was typing but had her headphones in, most likely re-listening to the video as she worked, looking for any auditory clues or tells.

He headed down the steps, and got his gun and badge from his desk. "What do you have?" he asked, holstering his weapon, and clipping his badge to his waist.

McGee got to his feet and brought up some things on the plasma. "The men that we seem to have to worry about the most are the jihadists for Hajj's Circle. They all studied in New York, have each taken enough classes to piece together what it would take to weaponize the anthrax and distribute it. One studied engineering, another has a biomedical degree, and the two others have taken almost enough classes on chemistry and pharmacy to know how to cure cancer. Too bad that's not their plan."

Ziva joined them. "No, it is definitely _not_ their plan. They were all part of the organization from the beginning. Each brought something specific to the table. Isimad Zareh, is the leader." A couple of clicks of the remote had the man's profile up on the screen. "He is the man with the biomedical background. He is said to be the one who came up with the plan. He has two brothers that are also in the Circle, if they have not been already killed. They were eager to jump at the chance to survive through the break out and hide in Russia."

"Outbreak." Tony corrected automatically. "Their abandonment of big brother's plan probably pissed the guy off. He might have killed them just to make an example of them. Are they on your "probable" list, McGee." Tony asked.

"It looks like they are both dead. Again, though, I can't be sure." Tim replied.

"Keep working on it. Ziva, coffee or tea?" Tony asked as he put his jacket on.

"Coffee, please. Large. I have a feeling I will be needing it."

"Will do." Tony headed for the elevator, and made his way to the coffee shop two blocks down the road, since their favorite cart barista wasn't open in the middle of the night.

His mind ran with all of the excitement of the evening. Seeing Garnier and Stephens again was interesting. Being brought into the op was a relief. He was glad to be able to be there for Gibbs, and he felt comfortable in the room. Not for the first time that night, he felt like his natural talents were able to come to the stage. He had to wonder what was going on with Gibbs, though. One minute he was happy he was there, and the next he was aggravated. Tony pulled out his phone.

_I can't tell if you want me in there, or if I'm just bugging the crap out of you._

He sent the message and knew that he wouldn't get one back. He had a feeling Gibbs would read it though, and maybe when he got back to the room Gibbs' eyes would tell him what he needed to know.

Tony entered the coffee shop to be greeted by Bill, the owner. He was overseeing the prep for morning baking, but had stopped when he saw Tony come in. "Hey! Tony! What's shakin'?"

Tony smiled and shook his head at the pep the man had for such a late hour. "Got a tough one tonight. Probably going to be buried all weekend. The team needs their caffeine fix, so here I am."

"Okay, so one large hazelnut with cream and sugar for you. What else?" Bill was used to seeing him and his coffee order come across his counter during late night cases.

"I'm going to need five large black, two large extra dark, and enough cream, sugar and Splenda on the side to put a diabetic into a coma," Tony said, running through the list of people he knew he was going to encounter when he got back.

"Are either of those extra dark for Gibbs?" Bill asked, already beginning to make Tony's hazelnut.

"Both actually. It's going to be a hell of a long night, and I don't want to have to deal with him if he runs out." Tony chuckled a little and Bill laughed with him.

"The old bastard can get pretty cranky without his joe. I'll make 'em right for him."

"Thanks, Bill. He'll appreciate it, and we'll appreciate it!" Tony joked.

"If you guys are still going hard in the mornin', stop back by. I'll make sure you get fed." Bill began placing the drinks into two carriers, and another worker handed Tony a plastic bag full of cream and sugar. Tony handed Bill his card and once he had it back, and safely tucked in his wallet, picked up the two carriers.

"Thanks again, Bill! I just might see you in the morning! If that's not what this already is…" He nodded at the man behind the counter and got back out into the walkway with the drinks. The thin, cold air hit him and he had to stop for a moment, letting the head rush pass that he tended to get since the plague, whenever heading out into the cold. A couple more deep breaths and he headed towards the yard.

He couldn't help but think about Gibbs crouching next to him, whispering into his ear the command to live. He would do anything for him. He survived the plague, pulled him from a sunken car, babysat his team while he had a nervous breakdown, and had covered his ass for ten years now. He finally had Gibbs to himself, and it made every moment worth it. He thought back to what Gibbs had said to him in the hallway after they came out to Ducky earlier. He wanted to tell them team, but knew that they couldn't because of the subordinate rules.

A part of Tony wondered if they would ever have been given the opportunity to be together again if he had taken the Rota position, but he dismissed it immediately, knowing that they wouldn't be nearly this close if he had gone. They had gotten to this point together. It had taken a lot of mutual growth to get them there that wouldn't have happened without each other. Tony wished there was a way they could be open about what they were to one another, but knew that he was going to have to wait until Gibbs retired one day. Ziva would probably eventually know, and they couldn't keep it from Abby forever, but they were going to have to put it off as long as possible.

Tony made his way back into the lobby, nodding at the night guard. He stood waiting for the elevator and tried to ignore the little voice talking nonsense in the back of his head. _That's not an option, even if I was willing for it to be, so hush!_

He stepped into the elevator and forced himself to think about the op instead. Hoping that Stephens and Garnier had figured out a sensible solution to their sling-shot problem, he stepped off of the lift and into the bullpen. Sitting the carriers on his desk he turned to Tim, and put a cup and handful of creamer on his desk. He removed another cup and sugar and creamer for Ziva, handing it to her directly. She smiled up at him sadly, and he wondered whether she had ever made it through her funk earlier.

"Okay, kids. What do we have?" Tony's gun and badge made their way back into his desk, and his coat was draped over the back of his chair. He drank a long gulp from his coffee, and looked back and forth between his exhausted teammates.

Tim put the pictures up on the screen. "These are definitely the four jihadists of the Circle. These," he said, "are definitely the six men that are still alive out there. And the first and third are assumed to be captured by the Qureshi faction to force them to assist with the weaponization of the anthrax. We only know they haven't been killed yet because of Ziva's chain of contacts." Tony turned to Ziva.

"My sources say that these two men were both abducted from homes of friends they were hiding at this past week, and have both been spotted by Iraqi patrols being forced into the hut. The patrol has heard that the Qureshi have obtained the anthrax, and are awaiting assistance from our troops before descending on the building. They are too ill equipped to handle it themselves." Tony nodded.

"What were the specialties of the two they took? What did they study?" Tony asked, looking back up at the screen.

"Sihreka was pharmacology and Banir was medicine, specifically, a specialization in respiratory diseases." Tim answered, reading off of his notes.

Tony thought about that and turned to Ziva. "Are you sure that they were brought in for the weaponization? Did your contacts say how they knew that?"

The woman snapped out of a daze and looked up at Tony. "How they knew what?"

Tony looked at her with concern. "How they knew that the reason these two were captured was to help with the weaponization and not to be killed or otherwise used."

Ziva thought for a moment. "I am not sure. It seems like the assumption I would make, perhaps they made it as well. They did not explain that part, and I did not think to ask."

"See if you can contact them again. Find out, then text me. McGee, keep looking. Dig deeper."

Tim replaced the lid on his coffee and took a drink, nodding. Ziva had already picked up her phone as Tony took the steps up to MTAC with the coffee trays and bag of fixings. He scanned himself in and headed down the ramp, stopping by Evelyn. The screen was blank for the moment and he took the opportunity to hand her a cup and motioned to pass a second to the control newbie. She smiled and Tony looked up to see Vance and Gibbs approaching as well. He handed Vance a cup and the bag of sugars, which he took with a slightly relieved look flitting over his face. Tony picked up both of the extra dark brews that Bill had made up and handed them to Gibbs. Everyone chuckled a little at that.

"Am I that bad, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, making the eye contact that Tony had hoped he would get from him, letting him know that he was indeed glad he was there.

"Not yet, but yanno, don't wanna take any chances." Gibbs reached up to head-slap him but couldn't because he was burdened with two cups, and Tony laughed.

Vance stepped back and watched the two of them together. He noticed just how visibly relaxed Gibbs had become with just the smallest comedic gesture from his SFA and wondered how they both could smile at a time like this. He wondered how Gibbs was able to smile at all these days with how rough the op was going. The man almost never smiled, so for him to break one out during a critical op had Vance baffled.

Evelyn stirred her coffee and took a big drink before replacing the lid. She hadn't felt this appreciated all year. It suddenly didn't matter to her that she was on her twelfth hour running the board. She looked down at the computer, seeing the signal coming through for Stephen's tablet, and alerted the men behind her. It was up on the screen as the three of them made it to the front of the room, each with a cup of coffee in their hands.

Both Stephens and Garnier were in the frame in front of them. Gibbs felt better knowing that they were together. It's easier, in situations like this, to put two heads together. He had been reminded of that by having Tony around. He had gotten Tony's text while he was out, and realized he was going to have to rein in his inner control-freak and let Tony help. His lover had a way of thinking outside the box, and they needed that to get them through this.

"Good to see you're both in one piece." Vance said. "How are the plans coming along?"

"Well, so far, we're thinking that our best option would be to use the darkness as cover. We might have a chance at getting closer to the building once it gets really dark after evening prayers and the villagers turn out most of the lights. We can try to get close enough to plant the bomb, and then from a distance, detonate and hit the place with grenades. That's highly unlikely though. So, we have another idea, though it's not as fool-proof, it carries a better chance of our survival." Stephens explained.

Garnier picked up where he left off. "We take the bomb, we strap it to the front of a vehicle, wedge the gas and brake so that we get her revved up, pull the brake wedge out and send the car, truck, whatever straight into the building, setting her to blow right as she hits. It actually would get the bomb closer to the center of the building that way, ensuring that the most incineration is done."

Gibbs looked over at Tony who was nodding with a smile on his face. He felt a little smile curling on his own lips as he looked back at the screen. Tony obviously approved, and it sounded like a decent plan. He looked to Vance for confirmation and got the nod. "Do it." Gibbs told them. "But I want you heading for the hills as soon as you set it rolling. If the explosion tosses anything from the scene, I don't want you two near it. We already know one person has died in that building. This is our best shot of taking out the contaminant, but we all know it isn't sure fire."

"About that, Boss." Tony said looking over at Gibbs, who looked back with curiosity and a little apprehension.

"More bad news, DiNozzo?" he asked with a glare that Tony knew wasn't really directed at him, but the potential bad news.

"Don't know if it's good, bad, or otherwise, but Ziva and McGee have discovered the Qureshi have taken two of the six evil-but-not-as-evil members of the Circle and have them in the hut. One is a doctor who knows his stuff when it comes to anthrax, and the other one, a pharmacology guy. It sounds to me like they may be looking for a cure for their own infected. I think they might be in a little over their heads, not to mention desperate." Gibbs looked back towards the screen.

"That means they could be panicking. This could make things a little tricky if we're not careful." Stephens said, looking at Garnier.

"Thanks for the heads up, Tony. No way in hell am I getting close to that building now." Garnier said with a grimace. "Just my luck, I'll carry it halfway across the Middle East before anyone finds out."

"I don't know, you seem to have always had some pretty damn good luck, Rod." Tony joked.

"Well, it's gotta run out sometime. I reckon when it does, it's going to go for gold in the shit-out-of-luck Olympics." Both Tony and Vance were surprised when Gibbs snorted, trying to hold back a laugh. Gibbs composed himself behind a drink of coffee.

"When do you plan on implementing Operation Run-Amuck?" Tony asked.

"Very technical term. I like it." Garnier joked. Stephens rolled his eyes.

"About midnight here. Gotta assemble this thing, get the vehicle, plan our escape path and get out there." Stephens answered, pushing Garnier out of the frame.

Gibbs understood why Tony liked working with Garnier. He used humor to make impossible situations seem possible, just like Tony did. Even Stephens had cracked a smile while pushing him out of the way. The two men on the screen looked more like they were about to go play a fraternity prank than take out a hut containing one of the most feared bio-contaminants in the world in order to prevent a massive, deadly outbreak.

It made Gibbs' mind jump for a brief moment to the thought that Tony's humor and levity would probably be what got them through their worst personal battles as well. He felt a warmth spread within him at the idea, and suddenly he _knew_ that everything would be okay. He and Tony would be okay, and this op was finally going to end soon. Stephens and Garnier were going to destroy the anthrax, taking out the immediate threat, as well as some of the key players on the bad side of the bio-terrorism war. They would know soon if the meet-ups that were about to kick off would produce any others that were willing to volunteer themselves for interrogation in exchange for safe harbor from the people after them. After that, his part in the op would be over. The immediate threat will have been taken care of, and the everyday war on terror would return to cover the rest. Troops and agents would be deployed to assassinate remaining members of Hajj's Circle and key leaders of the Qureshi faction, and he would be back to leading his team as they dealt with stateside murders. They just had to get through the next few hours, and he would be free of this mess.

Gibbs looked at his watch. It was 0332. Four and a half hours from now, Stephens and Garnier would be running from an explosion that would solve so many of their problems. He took a deep breath. "Check in with us before you leave. I want to be in full contact as you send the bomb in, understood?" Both men nodded. Gibbs nodded back.

"Good luck, guys." Tony said.

"Luck has nothing to do with it DiNozzo!" Rod said with a cheerful humor to his voice. "It's all about the skills. Between the two of us masterminds here, we've got this!"

Tony laughed. "You'd better. Counting on you guys." His voice carried a serious undertone that made Garnier drop his façade.

"You know you can. We'll be in touch." The tablet went blank and Tony and Gibbs shared a long glance.

Vance watched as, yet again, he was left out of whatever communicating they were doing. He felt a weird, gnawing feeling in his gut that he was missing something big, but he was too exhausted to try to figure it out. "Alright, you two. Go check with your team and make sure they haven't uncovered any other unpleasant surprises.

Gibbs headed for the door immediately, stopping at the console to pick up his second cup of coffee and drop his empty in the can by Evelyn. Tony nodded at Vance and headed out behind him at a much more leisurely pace.

Gibbs headed down the catwalk towards the elevator, and Tony knew he was supposed to follow. As soon as the doors closed and it jerked to motion, Gibbs had the button pressed and it jerked still again. He smiled at Tony in wonder. "I'm not sure where you've been hiding the Tony that was in there tonight, but he's welcome to stick around."

"I'm not sure what you mean." Tony said, though really, he kind of was. He felt more confident in that room than he had felt in a long time. He hadn't let himself just take a backseat like he always did when Jethro had brought him in on ops. Something about knowing who he was working with, and having had been in charge of them before, made it so much easier to let himself continue on the power trip he had been feeling all week.

"You've been this way all week. Stepping up. You're more confident. It suits you, Tony." Jethro said, his voice softening a bit.

Tony couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. "I feel more confident. I've kind of felt…" Tony shook his head and then looked directly into Jethro's bright blue eyes. "I've felt like I could do anything this week. Like, I'm not afraid of doing all of the things I know I can do, finally. I know I can lead our team; I've done it before. I know I can be instrumental in an op; I've lead one before. I think there has always just been this piece of me that was afraid to… in case I messed up. In case I disappointed you." Tony paused for a moment as Jethro's eyes closed.

Gibbs realized how much Tony had been holding back in order to keep himself from potentially damaging his opinion of him. Gibbs was hard on his agents, pushing them to make them better, but somehow, that had turned against Tony along the way. Gibbs felt like he had failed Tony by not demanding he use all of the hidden talents that he had. It was becoming clearer to Gibbs just how deeply the damage of his return from Mexico went.

"Tony, I have never been disappointed in you. You constantly surprise me. You're intuitive, you're compassionate, courageous, loyal to a fault… I don't know how I've been lucky enough to hang on to you for as long as I have."

Tony shook his head and continued. "I always believed that we could be good together, but I was afraid of making that first move to get us there. I didn't feel ready. I didn't feel worthy enough yet, for you, for us. Now that we have it? Now that we have each other? I feel invincible." Jethro couldn't help but smile at that. "I don't feel like I have to hold anything back now. I feel like I can really just… let it all out. Which honestly? Is scary as hell. It's the most terrifying, yet exhilarating feeling in the entire world. Being with you has given me something that I've never had- I get to be myself."

Jethro was astonished, and could do nothing but reach forward and pull his man into a tight embrace. "It's that Tony that I love, so much. I've always known that Tony, and I've wanted nothing more than you sharing that Tony with me for years."

Tony let his arms hold Jethro just as tightly as he was being held. He felt safe, confident, and loved. He had never been given those gifts before, and he knew that the he finally deserved them, he deserved Jethro. He pulled back after a minute and leaned his forehead against his lover's. "I really want to kiss you right now, but if I do, I won't be able to stop."

"I know the feeling." Jethro whispered. They pulled away slowly and after one more lingering glance, they both sighed in that way they did, and Jethro hit the elevator's button. They came out behind the bullpen and made their way to their desks.

"Any word, Ziva, on whether or not they know for sure why the two were taken?" Tony asked, unlocking his computer.

Ziva's head shot up from her screen where she was reading something intently. "No. I cannot re-establish contact with my… contact." She shot a look around the bullpen and saw both Tim and Gibbs at their desks and then looked back at Tony. They all looked at her, concern on their faces. She had been spaced out again, and Tony knew that they were going to have to talk in the morning before she went home. Something was eating at her and if she didn't get it off of her chest soon, she could mess something up.

Tony was looking through his email account, making sure he hadn't received anything important before opening up Google Earth. He was typing in the coordinates of their target when his phone rang, startling all of them.

Tony answered his cell. "DiNozzo."

Dispatch informed him of a body and a missing person case coming in. Tony scribbled notes on a little notebook from his jacket and hung up the phone.

"McGee, Ziva, let's go. You're with me. Tim, was that info sent to Stephens and Garnier?" Tim nodded as he got to his feet, tapping the keys needed to lock his computer down tight. Tony was grabbing his gear, and he looked up to see Ziva springing to her feet immediately to do the same. That's when Tony noticed Gibbs staring at him from his desk.

"Sorry, Boss. Gotta go. I'll let you know when we're back." Gibbs expression was one of barely hidden worry. Tony had really just taken control, fitting perfectly into the role. It made Gibbs swallow hard. He suddenly knew that that was what Tony should be doing- leading. Even Tim and Ziva had just fallen in right behind him. Gibbs didn't realize he was on his feet, watching them all leave, until the elevator doors closed behind them. He wondered how many more cases he would watch take off with the three of them together. His gut told him a big change was in store, and he didn't like it.


	12. Chapter 12

Vance had just walked out of MTAC, heading towards his office, watching Gibbs' team over the railing of the catwalk. They worked hard, and worked better together than any other team in his agency. He knew that was in large part because Gibbs wouldn't accept it any other way, but he also had found in each of the agents a profound dedication to their work. He was almost to his office when he heard DiNozzo's phone ring. He stopped and watched as he answered, concerned they were getting the call out. He was right.

He watched as Tony got up from his desk, corralling his younger teammates, who followed his lead as naturally as if they were following their boss's. That's when he put his finger on it. Tony had been acting differently, alright; he was acting like Gibbs' equal. He watched as the three agents headed for the elevator, packs slung over their shoulders in the shadows of the dark office. He noticed that Gibbs had gotten to his feet, watching his team leave without him, an expression on his face that confused even the profiler. Vance backed away from the railing, heading for his office before Gibbs could feel him staring at him, his thoughts chasing each other until the confusion lead him to the decanter of brandy.

_What the hell is going on around here?  
_

Tony was talking to the LEOs that had been called out to the home of midshipman Nathaniel Micic. Mrs. Delaina Micic had come home from her girls' night out with her sister to find him dead in their bed, naked, still wearing a condom. She had been hysterical of course, and now she was sitting as pale as a ghost in the living room, her sister by her side holding a sleeping two year old boy.

The LEOs told Tony that she hadn't been able to say anything for a while now. She was screaming and crying when they arrived, and then she shut down. Paramedics were with her, trying to talk to her and get her to open back up before they resorted to taking her to the hospital for shock.

Delaina's sister had been more than willing to talk, telling everyone who would listen about how much of a two-timing, back-stabbing jerk Nate had been. There was nothing anyone could do to make her stop blabbing all of the Micics' marital problems to every person she came across. When the paramedics arrived, one of them finally told her that if she didn't stop talking and calm down, they were going to have to escort her off the property while they handled the shocky woman. She had sat down with a huff and now glared at anyone who came into the room as they tried to help.

The other problem was the missing babysitter. The seventeen year old from down the street was supposed to be watching the Micics' two year old son. When police went two doors down to ask when Nate had come home to relieve her, and whether or not he had been alone, they found out she had gone missing. Tony figured it was a pretty fair guess that Merry had been the one with the midshipman when he expired. When the LEOs brought it to her parents' attention that she wasn't home, they went out wandering the neighborhood, checking her favorite haunts for their missing daughter. Neither of them had considered that she was hiding from the police. They both insisted that she was such a quiet, good girl when the police questioned them about the possibility she was having an affair with her neighbor.

Tony decided he should try to talk to Mrs. Micic before the paramedics gave up and led her to the ambulance. He nodded at Ducky and Jimmy on the way in. "I'll be in with you guys in a minute. McGee and Ziva are sketching in there still." Ducky nodded at him and headed towards the bedroom.

Tony could hear Ducky's voice as he walked away. "Oh, my. What kind of trouble did you get into tonight, young fellow?"

Tony shook his head a little. This was one of the few situations where he didn't suspect the wife. She was in genuine shock, the horror written on her face. Tony approached the paramedics and the women on the couch. "Mrs. Micic?"

"Don't call her that! She's too good for that scum's name!" The sister burst out. "She doesn't have to be burdened with it now. That creep! Serves him right."

"Ma'am, are your sister and nephew going to stay with you for a while?" Tony asked the obnoxious woman calmly.

"Yeah. They can stay as long as they need to," she said, one hand reaching out to squeeze the thigh of the blank woman next to her.

"That's very nice of you. Can you get some things together for him?" He asked, nodding to the sleeping child in her arms. "His room is still being processed, but maybe diapers, favorite snacks…" Tony's voice trailed off, but only because he had no idea what else a two year old would need other than those things and clothes.

The woman nodded and got up from the couch, giving her sister a genuinely concerned look. "I'll be right in here if you need me," she said softly, a stark contrast from the bellowing she had been doing at everyone else. She laid the sleeping boy down gently in the playpen in the den and left the room to focus on her given task. Delaina's head gently moved as her gaze followed her sister out of the room. Tony sat on the couch next to her, but far enough away that he didn't touch her.

"Delaina?" He asked gently. When the woman's head didn't move, he changed his tone. "Delaina." His voice was still quiet, only now it had a hint of command behind it. Her head moved towards him, then her eyes met his. "There you go. Stay with me, Delaina. What's your son's name?"

Distraction was often the only way to get through to someone who was in a fog like this, constantly picturing the image of a dead loved one, overcome by the combination of all of grief's emotions at once: anger, denial, pain, fear, sadness, and loss. She blinked at him, and he thought she wasn't going to answer, but he kept eye contact.

"Keegan," she finally whispered.

Tony smiled at her. "Keegan? That's a nice name. How old is Keegan?" He already knew this information, but keeping her grounded in the basics of the most important thing in her life was the trick to opening her back up.

"He just… just turned two." She whispered her response, but Tony could see a little color coming back to her face, so he kept going.

"Did you throw him a party? A little cake with family, friends?" He gave her a small smile.

"No. We… we were going to, but…" Tony saw the tears filling up in the woman's eyes.

"You were going to, but what, Delaina?" he asked softly, nodding to encourage her to keep going.

She opened her mouth to speak, but instead long shaky sigh came out of her mouth and then a sob escaped from her chest. Tony was glad she was expressing some emotion again. "We were… we were going to, but we couldn't… couldn't agree on… anything." Her words escaped between sobs as she shook; her voice was no longer a whisper. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. The paramedic that was still standing there rested a hand on her shoulder. Tony was grateful the woman had stayed. He wanted to offer the angry widow comfort himself, but had the distinct feeling that she wasn't in the mood to trust a man right now.

Ziva appeared in the doorway, intercepting the nosey sister from interfering, leading her into Keegan's room, now that it was processed, to gather some of his clothes. _Perfect timing, Probette!_ He thought with relief.

"We've barely been able to have a conversation for months now without arguing. It's been a mess since he got home." Mrs. Micic continued. Her voice was much stronger now, and Tony watched her expression wrestle between anger, pain, sorrow and frustration.

"How long was he gone?" Tony asked, thinking of his own stints abroad as Agent Afloat and how hard it was to be away from everyone. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to come home and not be able to relate to the people he cared most about when he left. He knew he was lucky that his team had grown stronger at his return. It easily could have gone the other way.

"Eight months. He came home, saw how much he had missed of Keegan's childhood, and he couldn't re-acclimate. He withdrew and I knew we were heading for a divorce. He wouldn't see a counselor, stopped doing things he had always enjoyed. Then we decided two months ago to start doing a guys night/girls night. I would get together with Sandy and our friends, and he would go play poker with his friends. Every other Friday night. We decided it was good, and it seemed to be helping. He was always home first." Her dark brown eyes stared off into space somewhere in the middle of the room for a moment. "He joked last time that it was because men don't sit around talking for hours like we gals did." She scoffed. "I wonder if he ever actually went to a game. If… if any of his "friends"… even exist." She started zoning off again.

Tony looked at her with genuine sympathy. "I'm sorry you're going through all of this. I have a few questions that I have to ask, standard procedure stuff, and then I'll let you get back to your son." She nodded. "What time did you leave the house last night?"

"Um, Sandy picked me up a little after seven. We headed to a little place out in Georgetown, I don't remember the name. Sandy would know it. Some tavern with funky lighting. Had some drinks, ate dinner, then we all went over to Sandy's house. Drank some more, talked some more, ate some more. Finally broke up after 1AM. I'm not sure the exact time. Sandy saw everyone off and then we sat there talking for a while. I tried to call Nate before I came home, but when he didn't answer I figure he had just gone to bed without me. Not a surprise. We've only slept in the same room again for the past two weeks." Tony nodded. She was on a roll, so he let her keep going, getting the story out and off of her chest.

"I had borrowed one of Sandy's shirts earlier this week for an interview. She came in to get it. I… I went to get it from the bedroom… and Nate was… lying there… naked, on the bed. I screamed." Her tone went from sad to angry suddenly. "When I realized what that asshole had been doing when he croaked, Sandy had to hold me back. If he wasn't already dead, he would have been." Tony nodded, understanding the sentiment. He recognized how lucky he was that he would never have to worry about Jethro's loyalty. Tony knew that his lover would flat out leave him before he would even consider cheating on him, and he trusted him completely.

"Sandy called the police. I don't remember what happened the next few minutes. I just remember holding Keegan on the couch while we both cried." Another bunch of tears slipped over the woman's cheeks.

Tony reached into his wallet and pulled out the card for Naval Family Mental Health and handed it to her. "Delaina, the people here are available tonight and whenever you need them. They're very helpful to talk to as you go through this. I suggest you give them a call in the morning and set up some time to check in with them in a few days. They can be there for you once, or as many times as you need." He pulled his card out as well and handed it to her. "This is my card in case you can think of anything else or have any questions. I'll be in touch with you over the next couple of days to check in." She took the cards and nodded. She looked exhausted and the paramedic asked if she could do another blood pressure test to make sure she was okay.

Tony left them to go meet Ducky and Palmer and see what they had found out. He saw Ziva waiting rather impatiently for the interview to be over so that she could stop stalling, keeping Sandy from interrupting. Tony leaned in, whispering in her ear. "I owe you one."

Ziva gave him a half smile. Tony noticed she was still not quite herself. He expected some kind of sarcastic response, but had gotten none. He filed it away for the moment as he joined Ducky and Palmer.

"Ahhh… Anthony. It looks like this fellow had a stroke. Note the petechial hemorrhaging and the burst vessel in his left eye. It would have been massive, the symptoms probably covered up by whatever alcohol that is assaulting our senses, and of course the pleasures of what he was engaged in." Tony nodded his head a little with a grimace. Jimmy looked at him, confused. He was used to hearing some completely inappropriate joke at comments like that, but instead he saw only disgust.

"What time did he go, Ducky?" Tony asked, hoping his time of death could help in locating Merry.

"I would say between 11 o'clock and midnight. I'll be able to narrow it further once I have this young man on a table."

"Is there any reason to expect this would have been caused by a medication overdose, mix-up, poisoning, anything that even sniffs at foul play?" Tony asked.

Tim appeared behind him. "There were no medications for blood pressure in the medicine cabinets, the night stand, anywhere we could find. Nothing seems out of the ordinary except the evidence that he didn't die alone, and whoever he was with is now missing."

"I am pretty sure when we find the missing babysitter, we'll find out she had been the one with him. I can't blame her for running. If I were that young, I would have freaked out too. I'm going to go co-ordinate with the LEOs and her parents to see if we can find her." Tony said, shaking his head again, trying not to think about the naked dead man next to them. "Finished with the scene McGee?"

"Yup. Anything that was here was processed. We found multiple long brown hairs on the bed that will probably match Mrs. Micic, and a few long blonde hairs that match the description of our missing babysitter. We just have to find her." Tim walked alongside Tony as he headed for the front door. Ziva was helping the sister gather things for Keegan and Delaina to go stay with Sandy. Tony knew he really owed her big for jumping in on Sandy patrol.

The guys were talking with an officer when a silver sedan pulled up, and a couple got out of the front seat. The man on the passenger's side opened the back door for a petite, shy looking blonde girl who tentatively got out of the car. She was wearing an oversized sweatshirt and jeans. Her hair was down but not brushed and she looked like she had been crying for days. Both agents and the officer all knew immediately it was Merry, the babysitter and mistress. Tony thought she looked more like a 12 year old, the way the sweatshirt swallowed her small frame, and her glasses sat crooked on her running nose.

Her parents flanked her, looking both defensive for their daughter and angry at her. Tony spoke first. "I'm NCIS Special Agent Tony DiNozzo. This is Special Agent Tim McGee." He looked back and forth between the parents as he introduced himself, earning a nod from both of the adults. His gaze met Merry's terrified eyes. "Are you Merry Holdale? Keegan's babysitter?" She nodded slowly.

Tony's eyes went back and forth between her parents. "Would you mind if we discussed this at your house? I don't think it's a good idea for Merry to be here, right now."

"Sure. Let's head on over." Merry's mother said, putting an arm around her daughter and turning towards their house. Her father stared after them and then headed to the car to pull it a couple of houses down into the driveway. Tim and Tony shared a look as they followed the two women to the house, praying that Ziva kept the women distracted enough to miss Merry's arrival.

The Holdales' house was a modest family home and they all sat in the living room while Merry told her side of the story. The affair had been going on for a couple of months. The first two encounters had followed up real poker nights. After that, it was whenever they could meet. Merry would walk the dog down to the park at the same time Nate Micic went running and they would hook up in the public restrooms there.

It had been a rush for the girl, at first. Everyone was always on her at school about how she was about to graduate a virgin. She hadn't had a single boyfriend in high school. She was a bookworm, a studier and a loner. She had a couple of friends, but they weren't very reliable, so when she stopped communicating with them after the affair had begun, they didn't think anything of it. She had started wrapping her entire world around the man that had seduced her. She believed she was in love with him, and he had told her that he couldn't leave his wife because of his son, be he loved her, too.

Tony worked hard to keep his anger for the man's abuse of her innocent trust to himself, but Mr. Holdale couldn't. He got up and stormed out of the room. The family was going to have to have a rough go for it for a while, Tony knew, seeing this before. He talked gently to Merry and her mother, choosing his words carefully. He gave them the counselor's information and his own card.

Tim watched as Tony spoke to them. Normally Tony or Gibbs would have gone out to talk to the father. He wasn't sure he had the temperament, but he knew that now that the man had been given a moment to cool off, one of them should. Tony was busy, so it was up to him.

Tim stepped out onto the back deck where Mr. Holdale was standing against the porch railing, knuckles white. He steeled himself, hoping the words would magically come to him. He moved to stand next to the older man, and stared out at the yard in front of them. He didn't say anything. He couldn't, not finding the words. What did you say to a man going through this? Tim froze and his mind stopped trying to find the words when he heard the angry sob burst from Mr. Holdale. He reached up instinctively and put his hand on the heaving shoulder, grasping it in a show of support.

"What do I do? How could he… she's so young! I know… I know she's becoming a young woman, but inside, Agent McGee, she's still so young, so… innocent. We should have made her get out more… should have exposed her to more. Then maybe she would know, but we just wanted to keep her safe." The sobbing resumed. Tim turned to him and found the words tumbling out of his mouth without thinking.

"You do what you've always done- you protect her. You let her know that you still love her, that you're there for her, and will always be there for her. She is going to need her dad right now. She is going to have such a hard time trusting men, and she's going to need you to show her that she can. She needs to know that you're not mad at her, that you're mad at Nathaniel Micic, and that you're going to be there for her when the neighbors turn against her, and the people at school start talking about her. She's about to become an adult in a big way, and she may not be ready. She's going to need you to be supportive and guide her through this mess." Tim looked at the tear streaked face that turned towards him, meeting the watery, reddened eyes with a solid stare. Mr. Holdale nodded and took a deep breath.

"You don't have to do it alone. We have people that can be there for your family, talk to each of you together, or alone. This isn't something people deal with every day. It's not a weakness to talk to someone and get their help to find what to say, what to do." Tim got the same cards Tony did from the slot behind his ID in his badge holder. "These are counselors that you can talk to, and that's my card if you need me."

Mr. Holdale took a deep breath and the cards then nodded again at Tim. Tim swallowed hard. "I think I should tell you, it looks like they had been using protection, but we're still going to suggest a full spectrum of testing, just to make sure. That needs to happen as soon as possible, and Agent DiNozzo is probably already preparing your wife and daughter to go get it done as we speak. You should go talk to her before then, let her know that whatever the outcome of the tests is, you'll be there." Tim could see the anger flashing through Mr. Holdale's face and he knew that the idea his daughter might be pregnant with Nathaniel Micic's child had entered his mind. Holdale nodded again and headed for the door.

Tim followed, exhaling deeply. He had no idea where the words had come from, but he felt a swell of pride that he had found them. He stood in the doorway between the dining room and the living room, watching Mr. Holdale move towards his daughter and scoop her up in a hug. Tony looked over at Tim with raised eyebrows, obviously curious as to what happened on the back porch. Tim just shrugged and smiled a little as both father and daughter clung to each other.

Tony nodded his head to the front door and Tim followed him outside. "I'm not sure what you said to him, McGoo, but I've never seen a dad come around so fast."

Tim felt himself flush at the praise. "I just told him she needed him and to go be there for her," he said, trying to sound confident.

"I wish all dads got the point that easily. She's lucky to have them both. Her mom was really protective of her. She's going to take Merry to get the tests after they talk a little. She turns 18 in two weeks. She's got a lot of growing up to do before she goes off to school in the fall. Unfortunately, I think this is giving her the jumpstart no one wanted her to have." Tony shook his head as he talked.

They walked towards the Micic's house and talked to the LEO's before heading in and checking on things. Tony had the tough job of telling Delania that the person that was with her husband at the time of death was their babysitter. They had to restrain her afterwards as she broke down all over again and tried to run out of the house. She was furious. Tony told her that Nathaniel Micic had been playing both of them and that he understood she was angry, but she needed to leave the young girl alone.

Once they knew that both of the women and the baby were gone, and Ducky and Jimmy had long since left with Micic's body, they left the scene and headed back to the Navy Yard. The sun had been up for an hour, and the exhaustion was beginning to hit them all as they climbed into the car. Tony and Tim were in the front seat while Ziva climbed in the back, immediately laying her head against the window and falling asleep.

"Weird morning." McGee said quietly, looking over at Tony, who nodded.

"I have a feeling it's only going to get weirder. Gibbs is still back there with an op going on, waiting for us," Tony pointed out. "Try to rest a for few, Probie. We'll swing by and grab breakfast and coffee on the way back."

Tim watched Tony's stern face. He was used to Tony being the clown of the group, but this morning, he was anything but. He took Tony's advice though and laid his head back against the seat. Tony drove cautiously, allowing his teammates to sleep without too much jostling. He pulled into a drive-thru close to work where he knew the coffee was decent enough for Gibbs' standards and placed an order he knew the group wouldn't mind. Once he pulled around to the window, he woke Tim up to handle the drinks while he drove. They had a tray of coffee for the people waiting for them, and they filled the cup holders with the others. Tony had ordered two for himself as well as Gibbs this time, and drank his first one quickly, knowing that by time he got back to the office, he would be going straight into MTAC to watch the hut being bombed. Ziva was still out cold in the backseat. Tony had never seen her sleep so soundly. Tim drank some of his coffee and Tony could tell that the power nap and caffeine were having their effect. He was about to suggest waking Ziva up, and caffeinating her, when his phone rang.

Looking at his caller ID and seeing Gibbs' name, he smiled. Tim noticed and smiled to himself as he watched Tony take the call. "Hey Boss, we're on the way back now. How's the op?" Tony's voice remained quiet so that Ziva didn't stir.

Gibbs took a deep breath, hearing the younger man's voice on the other end of the line. "Long story. Garnier and Stephens are about to head out to the site. You going to be back in time?"

"Pulling up to the building now, Boss." Tony said out of habit.

"Good. You know where to find me." Gibbs said. Tony was waiting for the click of the phone hanging up, but it didn't come.

"Something else?" He asked.

"Not that I can say." Gibbs said, rubbing his hand through his hair, struggling with the words wanting to come out of his mouth.

"We should really think of a code for that." Tony said quietly.

Tim laughed next to him and slapped his hand over his mouth to stifle it.

"Aw, come on, McJerk! A little help here!" Tony said as he stole a look into the backseat to see Ziva still in her coma. "Wow, she really can sleep through anything, can't she?"

Gibbs was rolling his eyes on the other end of the line. "Just get your ass in here, DiNozzo."

The phone did click off that time and Tony slid it into his inside jacket pocket as he pulled into a spot. Once his hand was free again he punched Tim in the arm. "You're dead when I have the energy to kill you, McDeadmeat! Actually, you know what, just for that, you get to wake Ziva up."

"Ohhh no, no, no, no, NO! The last time I woke her up I ended up with a sprained finger. I need these fingers to type with. _You_ can wake her up." Tim said, but Tony was already getting out of the car, taking the coffee tray off of the probie's lap and grabbing his empty from the cup holder.

"Don't forget the food," he said as he closed the door on Tim's refusal.

"Shit." Tim grabbed the food and his drink and got out of the car, slamming the door, hoping that would startle Ziva awake. When that didn't work, he decided to try knocking on the window. That didn't work either, so he put the food on the trunk of the car and gingerly, reached out and opened the car door she was leaning against. She began falling out of the car and awoke, catching herself and scowling at McGee.

McGee grabbed his food and made a quick getaway towards the elevator that Tony was holding open as he watched the scene unfold. Tony waved him towards the door and as soon as Tim was in the lift, hit the "close door" button. The two doors slid shut as they watched Ziva come around the side of the car with a death glare. Once the doors were completely shut and the elevator started moving, they both burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing for? _I_ get to go hide in MTAC. She's gonna kill _you_." Tony managed to get out between laughs. Tim froze.

"I think I'm going to go hide with you." His eyes were wide and that made Tony laugh even harder. The doors slid open and they emerged.

Tony left Tim at the bottom of the stairs. "Stay, Probie."

"But Tony! Can't I…"

"No! Stay and face your battles head-on." Tony said, the humor in his voice obvious.

Tim looked at him with the death glare Ziva had.

"Good Probie." Tony said from the top of the stairs and then scanned himself into MTAC just as he heard the back elevator ding on the bullpen floor. _Run, Timmy, run!_ He thought to himself and chuckled.

Gibbs turned around as he heard the door open, then smiled to himself as he turned back to the screen. Tony handed Evelyn a cup of coffee, rewarded with a grateful smile, then repeated the gesture with Vance. The com-room probie was gone. Tony was glad that there was only one person at the controls from 0400 until 0800, because he had forgotten an extra coffee for him. With a cup in each hand, he went to stand by his boss and looked up at the screen, taking in the satellite imagery in front of them. He handed a cup to Gibbs and asked about what had happened so far.

"The meet-ups we had scheduled in both Kabul and Syria gave us people willing to give up information that the agents abroad will be able to use to bring down the Kabul sector of the Qureshi, but we'll be off the case by then. Our involvement is only to keep the bio threat at bay. Stephens and Garnier complete their mission successfully tonight, and we confirm the site is anthrax-free, we'll be finished with this mess. They're on the way. We should hear from them any minute." Gibbs explained, then looked at Tony for a moment. Their eyes met, locked and communicated their relief before looking back at the screen. They both raised their cups to their lips and realized that they had each other's coffee with the first taste. They didn't even look at each other as they exchanged cups, immediately raising the cups back to their mouths.

"So Stephens and Garnier got a decent bomb built and a vehicle for the delivery?" Tony asked.

"They actually got ahold of two vehicles. One is for the bomb, the other is for an appropriate get away." Gibbs said quietly. Tony was trained by now to know just how tired Gibbs was with the merest inflection of his voice. The older man's voice gave away just how exhausted he was, and it almost made Tony wince.

The screen went black as they waited for the tablet's camera to come up.

"So who is doing the clean-up crew?" Tony asked, looking over at Gibbs, using the question as an excuse to look into his lover's blue eyes and gauge his exhaustion.

"There's an army decontamination team that's going to go in at sunrise and make sure there's no chance anything is still present. The Afghani police will be notified at 0815, our time, to stay away from the fire and make sure none of the locals try to assist in putting it out. We're pretty sure that the local patrol is expecting this. They requested military assistance, so they're getting it. They'll probably see it for what it is and keep everyone back."

Tony looked at his watch. It was 0756 now and he was anxious to see this finalized. The screen lit up in front of them as Garnier's face came up on his tablet. "Howdy Agent Gibbs, DiNozzo." Vance stepped out of the shadows to stand next to Tony. "Director Vance." The man nodded at them on the screen.

"Hey Rod, I heard you guys are ready to take on the world." Tony jested.

"Nope, just this little piece of it. Stephens is strapping the device to the front of the jeep now." The tablet's view shifted from the man's face to the hunched over figure at the grill of a tan jeep. Rod walked around to the front so that they got a good view of the device. It was strapped with multiple sticks of dynamite. In the back seat of the jeep, there were two rather large gas cans.

"Gasoline accelerant?" Tony asked.

"Not exactly. I'm not going to tell you what's in there." Rod said from behind the camera and then turned the tablet around so they could see his face again. "It's not pretty and I'm not supposed to be playing with it."

"Garnier! You didn't go and do something completely stupid again, did you?" Tony asked, his voice suddenly humorless, almost angry.

"No, Boss! This one was all Stephens' brilliance, though I must say, I didn't object." The man on the screen looked thoroughly reprimanded and a little fearful.

Tony shook his head and looked over at Gibbs whose eyebrow was cocked at Tony in a way that made him look as concerned as Garnier. "You don't want to know, Gibbs." He sighed heavily and looked up at the screen. "Put Stephens' on, Rod." Garnier nodded and handed the tablet to Stephens who stood up and took the device, a little apprehensively.

"Uh, hey DiNozzo, Gibbs, Director. The device is in position and we're ready." Tony crossed his arms and looked up at Stephens like a mother that had just caught her children stealing cookies, only ten times more frightening. Vance and Gibbs both stole looks at him as they saw Stephens' face turning red. "It's a crude napalm."

"That's better than last time. Have you been trained in how to mix napalm since Syria? I thought we decided back then that you weren't going to be messing with this stuff anymore." Tony said in his low interrogation voice.

"It was already mixed! I swear! And it's in much safer hands with us than where I got it!" Stephens said in a rush. "It's not like the nitro! It's just insurance to make sure the whole place goes up."

Tony shook his head at him again. Vance stepped in. "Lieutenant, we'll talk about this later. For now, just proceed. Let's get this over with."

Stephens handed the tablet back over to Garnier who pointed the camera towards the truck as they wedged the brake and accelerator before turning the key. "That's the hut, right there." They realized just how close they had been the whole time they had been having their discussion, just a couple of houses away. Tony felt the cold chill run up his back and ignored it. He knew how badly this had to work.

"Okay, here we go." Garnier jumped into the truck they had taken, starting the engine. Stephens reached into the jeep and turned over the key. They watched and listened as the engine revved against the wedged brake until Stephens pulled a rope that had been around the stick. The jeep tore off towards the hut and Stephens ran towards the truck. They watched the jeep until the tablet hit the seat of the truck and Garnier floored it. Stephens picked up the tablet as the bomb went off and aimed it back at the hut. They saw a huge fireball and exploding bits of fiery hut growing smaller and smaller as the truck moved further and further from the site.

"Woooohoooo! I do believe that worked gentlemen!" Garnier shouted and Stephens rested his head against the back of his seat, eyes closed, and crossed himself.

Tony was all smiles again and Gibbs closed his eyes, his lips curling a little at the corners before he spoke. "It's about damn time we got some good news. Go under for a few days unless you hear from us."

"Yes, sir Agent Gibbs! We'll be in touch when we're secure." Stephens said.

"Try and behave yourselves, will ya?" Tony chimed in.

"Yeah, right!" Rod could be heard saying in the background.

"Yeah, about what I expect from you Rod." Tony joked.

"Report back in twelve hours so we know you've found a place to bunk down." Vance said and Stephens nodded before the screen went black.

Tony looked over at Gibbs who appeared much more relaxed and relieved. He smiled at the older man and then glanced over at Vance who looked at him like he was trying to decide whether or not to ask a question.

"What?" Tony asked, eyebrows raised.

"Just… nitro? A tank? I'm going to have to read over that Syria op. Sounds like I missed out on an adventure." Vance said, taking a toothpick out of his jacket and smiling.

"Ohhhh yeah!" Tony said with a big grin. "Those two can turn afternoon tea into a rodeo. Putting them together is an interesting experience. They're mischievous, resourceful, eager, curious and on occasion, volatile. At first, you'll wonder what in the hell you've gotten yourself into, and then you'll wish you had them for every tight, sticky, messy situation that gets thrown at you. Great guys."

"So what happened with your case?" Gibbs asked moving so that they stood in a huddle.

"Guy was having an affair with his under-aged babysitter when he had a stroke. Ducky's going to confirm it, but it's pretty open and shut. Girl was terrified, ran off to a friend's house down the road. Good kid wrapped up in his lies. Wife was pretty messed up about it. They have a young kid together, were trying to get through some marital problems. He'd only been on land for a few months after an eight month stint out. Two families that will be pretty messed up for a while, but will get through it. Both of them have strong support and plan on calling the shrinks." Tony's eyes met Gibbs and he stared a little longer than he probably should have before realizing they were having one of their silent conversations with Vance right there.

Vance finally broke the spell. "Let's get home, try to get some sleep. I know I'd like to see my kids for a while today while I can, and maybe eat a real meal. Jackie has promised me leftover meatloaf."

Tony smiled at him. "Sounds good. If I wasn't so exhausted, I would invite myself along. I have to go fill out my report though for the Micic case." He nodded at the two men and headed for the door. Both of them watched him until he was through the door.

Vance looked back at Gibbs in surprise. "Even I would put that report off until tomorrow at this point. What's going on with him, Gibbs?"

"That's the real DiNozzo, Leon," Gibbs said with a smile and headed past Vance, obviously proud of his agent.

Tony bounded into the bullpen. Ziva and Tim were both putting papers together in a folder, creating files for their report. "Alrighty, probies. That was successful! We did good! Now, has anyone heard from Ducky?"

"Nope." Tim said.

"So the op is over?" Ziva asked.

"Yup. For now. Looks like the good guys are winning. We'll know more tonight, but I think this time, we're clear." Tony said with a smile as he leaned over his desk, checking his email for results from Ducky and finding none. "I'm going to go see the Duckman, and get the info we need to finish the reports. I'll be back."

He took long strides to the back elevator and hit the button. When it opened, Gibbs was waiting in it. Tony smiled at him. Gibbs hit the stop button before turning and smiling back, leaning against the walls, hands on either side of him on the railing. "You really gave Vance something to think about in there," he said casually.

"Oh, really? About what?" Tony asked moving towards his lover and slipping his hands around his waist. He felt Gibbs arms slide around his shoulders and a moment later their lips were pressed against each other in a sweetly simple kiss, meant only to show affection, not induce arousal.

"He asked me what's going on with you. I told him this is the real you. He's impressed, and he should be." Gibbs kissed Tony again gently then pulled away. "If he knew you like I know you, you'd already have your own team."

Tony laughed. "Jethro, if he knew me like you know me, his wife would file for divorce."

Gibbs laughed. "True, but you know what I mean."

Tony just shrugged. "Gotta go get the results from Ducky so we can finish these reports and get the hell out of here. I need a nap in the arms of my favorite boss." Tony's smile was playful. He leaned in for another kiss and then reached out for the button to start the lift. Gibbs reached out and stopped it again, leaning into Tony and deepening the kiss. Tony's hands reached up and held Gibbs' face to his and kissed him back passionately. The sparks were flying and Tony felt himself reacting. He groaned and pulled back. "You're evil! I tell you I have work to do before I can come home, and then you kiss me like that? God, what a bastard!" He laughed despite his words and dropped his head against Gibbs'.

"If you knew how much it turns me on to see you so dedicated to what we do, we'd never get anything done." Gibbs said roughly in his ear.

"Hmmm, really?" Tony moaned softly. "Someday, I'm going to get you to take me in one of these elevators, or the conference room, or some closet, and I'll really find out. It's my new evil plan." He leaned in and took Gibbs' bottom lip gently between his teeth and sucked on it, causing the older man to groan.

"Damn, Tony. Go finish that report so you can come home to me and I can give this to you." He took Tony's hand and placed it against his suddenly throbbing erection. Tony growled deep in his throat, his hand full of Gibbs stiff cock through his pants. His lips met Gibbs' again, his tongue attacking his mouth, forcing its way in, rubbing his hand over the head of Gibbs dick, making his lover whine sharply. Tony pulled back and away, hitting the elevator button. Gibbs leaned heavily against the cold metal wall, panting.

" _You_ are the bastard. Now, I see it. That's why we work so well. We're both pricks." Gibbs said between breaths. Tony smiled and got off of the elevator at autopsy, letting the doors close on the infuriatingly horny man behind him.

He confirmed with Ducky that Micic had definitely died of a stroke and an hour later, Tim and Ziva were dropping their reports on his desk. Tim gave him an exhausted smile when Tony told him to go get some sleep. Ziva sat back at her desk and started working on something on her computer. After fifteen minutes had gone by and Tony was printing off the last pages of his report, he couldn't take it anymore. He rolled his chair over next to Ziva and she looked up at him with a heavy sigh.

"Tony, what are you doing?" Her exasperation was at least a little more like herself, but she didn't move or push him away.

"You have something going on, and you need to talk about it. So, I'm coming over to talk. What's going on, Ziva." It wasn't a question, but a gentle demand. He knew it was serious when she didn't even fight him on it. He was startled when he saw her eyes glaze over, and his defenses raised on her behalf.

"I do not even know if anything is actually wrong, but… it might be. I did something very foolish, and I am afraid it may have consequences that I cannot handle." She couldn't look at Tony and Tony took that as a bad sign.

"Ziva, what was it?"

"I started a new medication, and I forgot to take it when I was supposed to." Her eyes flicked to Tony's and then down at her wringing hands. It took a moment and then Tony realized what she meant.

"You mean birth control, Ziva?"

She sighed deeply and her exhalation came out in a shudder. "Yes. I had been receiving shots, but I was not reacting well to them anymore. I started taking the pills in that little plastic disc, and yesterday before lunch, I realized that I had forgotten to take it that morning, and Dion and I had been together Thursday night. Well, and again Thursday morning."

Tony nodded. "I know this isn't my business, but were you using alternate protection? Condoms?"

Ziva shook her head no. "Dion has a latex allergy, and we both got tested so that we wouldn't have to use them. We have been… I have been so happy, Tony, but we are not ready for this. I do not know if I _ever_ want this."

Tony thought for a moment as he rubbed Ziva's shoulder. "Ziva, why don't you just go get Ducky to write you a script for the morning after pill?" Ziva's eyes widened and shot up to Tony's.

"Why did I not think of that?" She jumped to her feet and grabbed her stuff. Tony smiled at her and got up to move his chair back to his desk. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tony!"

"Anytime Ziva." Their eyes met for a moment. "I mean it."

"I know. Thank you."

Tony shook his head as she took off at a full sprint for the stairwell. She knew as well as Tony that time was of the essence for the medication, and it had already been forty-eight hours. Tony doubted that she could be pregnant, but if the pill made her feel better and got her back into a good headspace, he couldn't blame her for taking it.

He finished putting his report together, then went upstairs to drop them all off for Vance. He was surprised when he found the director's door propped open. He knocked on the frame and stepped in.

"Agent DiNozzo. Got those reports?" Vance motioned for his agent to come in.

"Yeah. It was natural causes. Nothing but victims here. Normally you can kind of let yourself blame the mistress, but in this case, she was just so young and innocent, wrapped up in a mess… no one to be blamed but the dead guy." He handed the files off and turned to walk away.

"Agent DiNozzo, come sit with me a minute."

Tony turned back towards Vance and paused before moving to sit in the chair across from the desk. "What can I do for you, Director?" He felt his defenses rise again, not sure he trusted the man in front of him despite their more pleasant encounters lately.

"I don't know what it's taken to bring out the changes I've seen in you this week, but whatever it is, I hope it sticks around. You could be looking at another team lead offer if you keep going like this."

Tony sat back in surprise. _If he only knew…_ he thought and tried not to chuckle at the thought.

"With all due respect sir, the only change is that you're willing to see what I really do with my team, and I'm willing to show it. Nothing has really changed. I'm still doing everything I always do, just maybe not so quietly." Tony moved to get to his feet.

"There are reasons I was offered Rota, and there are reasons that I stayed here. One day, I'd like to step into Gibbs' shoes, but until then, I'm happy just being there for my team, learning what I can from Gibbs while I have the chance, and having the opportunity to work with a team I'm closer to than my own family. It's not that I wouldn't be able to lead my own team, I just don't have any desire to yet. So for now, I'm just enjoying where I'm at."

It was Vance's turn to be surprised. "If that's how you feel."

"It is." With that, Tony was done with the discussion. He turned and left the room and the director in silence, feeling proud of himself for defending his character with the man.

Vance sat back in his chair for a minute. _Did DiNozzo really just tell me off?_ He thought, a smirk crossing his face. _He really is Gibbs' equal, just maybe more willing to play nice._

Shaking his head, he got to his feet and put his jacket on, then picked up the packed briefcase waiting for him. He turned the lights off and locked the door behind him.

Tony made his way down the steps and back into the bullpen. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit Gibbs' speed-dial.

"Are you coming home yet?" Gibbs asked impatiently without even saying hello.

Tony laughed. "Why? You miss me?" he asked with his flirtiest tone.

"Yeah. I keep trying to find something to distract me, but I can't seem to get you off my mind." Gibbs said, seduction in his voice.

"I'll be there soon. We have to be back here in ten hours anyway. Hopefully we can get some sleep before then." Tony slipped on his coat as he talked, and then picked up his pack.

"As long as you finish what you started before I left." Gibbs said, voice strained.

"As I recall, you're the one that started it. I was going to let it go, and then you took it further with that kiss." Tony turned off his lamp and headed for the elevator.

"Well, you were just so damned hot like that. I needed more."

"Oh, I'll give you more. See you soon." Tony said, smiling as he waited for the lift.

"You'd better. I can't wait much longer. I love you." Gibbs said, setting every nerve in Tony's body on fire.

"Love you, too, Jethro. Be home soon." Tony got into the elevator and headed down to the garage.

Vance stood on the catwalk outside of his office, overlooking the scene below and feeling like a fool. Everything clicked into place and he felt the ground want to give out underneath him.

Tony grabbed his go bag from the trunk and bounded up the stairs to Gibbs' front door. He let himself in to an empty living room, then headed straight up the stairs to the master bedroom. Gibbs had just gotten out of the shower as Tony stepped into the room, causing him to pause, leaning against the door frame while he took in the sight in front of him.

"Jethro, you couldn't get any more delicious if you tried." Gibbs turned a little pink. Tony shook his head and dropped the bag on the floor. His jacket, sweater and pants made a pile on the floor in mere seconds as Tony stripped, already aching to be closer to his naked lover.

"Time to finish what you started?" Jethro asked.

Tony stepped up to the man, pressing his body against him and wrapping one arm around his waist while pulling his face towards him, looking into Jethro's blue eyes as they darkened. Tony's eyes flicked to Jethro's lips and then his mouth captured them, letting his tongue slide against them until they parted and let Tony in. The kiss deepened slowly and Tony sucked on the tongue that twisted with his own in a kiss that set every hair on his body on end, and made every nerve tingle.

When they pulled back, Jethro's eyes opened slowly to find the green ones staring him down. "I don't give a damn who started it, I'm finishing it." Jethro gave him a little nod and then Tony leaned in again, taking his mouth in another intense kiss. It was full of the love and passion that he had felt for years, but tempered, creating a slow burn that expressed much more than the sexual need he felt. He poured his soul into the kiss, letting Jethro know that this wasn't just sex. Their relationship meant everything to him, and this was his way of expressing that.

Tony's fingers ran across the muscular shoulders of his lover, his touch making the older man shiver. The kiss continued and Jethro's arms found their way around Tony's neck, resting on his shoulders while they connected. Tony's hands gently ran down Jethro's back, feeling every ripple made with every movement of their heads as they kissed.

After a few minutes, Tony began moving them, mouths still attached to one another, towards the bed. They lowered onto it together, Tony lying across his lover, the heat of their bodies killing every bit of winter chill. They moved slowly and deliberately. Tony began kissing down Jethro's neck, taking his time, making them both moan deep and low in their throats, but not moving any quicker because of it. His lips suckled on Jethro's collarbone, then his nipples. That caused their bodies to lift off of the bed, Jethro's hips arching into the man on top of him.

Jethro's left hand found Tony's head and his fingers buried themselves in his hair, not pushing the younger man to go any faster, just holding on for the ride. Jethro felt like he could happily burn forever, lost in the heat of the moment. He had never believed anyone could make him feel this way ever again. He felt Tony take his right hand, and then sucked on his first two fingers. It sent a shock through his body, and he felt his dick twitch so hard that he was afraid he was going to come.

Tony moistened Jethro's first two fingers the best he could and then moved, putting a knee on both sides of his lover's chest. He led Jethro's fingers to his ass and listened to the man groan as he realized what Tony was asking. Jethro's fingers slipped inside of Tony with a growl from each of them. Tony leaned against the wall above the headboard while Jethro worked his fingers in and out of him, sweeping over his prostate again and again, causing Tony to see bright white lights behind his closed eyes. He shuddered with each pass and began rocking against them involuntarily.

Jethro reached for the drawer of the nightstand and fumbled for the lube. Tony finally reached down and grabbed it, handing it off, still riding Jethro's thick fingers. There were two clicks of the cap as it opened and closed and then Tony lost the fulfillment of Jethro's digits. He knew what was waiting for him though, and he moved to position himself to sit on the hard cock below him.

His green eyes met the blue ones staring up at him, passion dark and he chewed on his lower lip before descending slowly, impaling himself on Jethro's waiting member. The first inch was incredible, offering him redemption from the desperation he hadn't realized he had been feeling all day. He didn't break eye contact with Jethro as he lowered himself further and further until he had bottomed out with a gasp.

"Oh my God, Jethro. You feel amazing." Tony stared back into Jethro's gaze. It was full of so much emotion that Tony felt his eyes burning. No one had ever looked at him like that, conveying so much love, trust and need with just a look. He slowly began moving, needing to increase the pleasure they were feeling to match the emotions taking over. His hands rested on his knees as his legs lifted him up and down. Jethro's left hand reached up and took his, making Tony's eyes close as his head fell back, relishing in the feelings created by the thick cock inside of him and the way his own dick slapped against his body as he bounced.

Jethro began moaning loudly with the thrusts and Tony let himself get carried away on the sound. He moved faster and faster and then he felt the firm, semi-calloused hand of his lover wrap itself around his cock and begin pumping him. He forced himself to hold back his orgasm, not done riding his lover as hard as he could.

"Tony," Jethro gasped. "Please… come for me. Please."

With that, Tony lost it, shooting his wad into Jethro's hand. He slammed down one more time and Jethro bucked his hips as Tony's ass clenched around him. Jethro sat up, Tony in his lap, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and letting Tony lean against him. He placed his hands under the younger man's ass and bobbed him up and down against him. He thrust the best he could under the weight of the limp man against his chest. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to keep fucking Tony for hours, feeling that tight asshole around his slick erection.

Tony started floating back into awareness and his arms slid around Jethro's neck. He leaned his face into Jethro's shoulder and whispered to his lover. "It's okay, Jethro. Let it go for me. I'm not going anywhere. I love you. Let it go."

With a thunderous growl, he pulled Tony down onto him as hard as he could and came deep into his ass, shaking and convulsing, his arms wrapped so tightly around Tony that the younger man could barely breathe.

Jethro came back around to the feeling of Tony's gentle lips against his, tenderly kissing him and whispering words of love against him. "Never leaving you, Jethro. I love you. I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours, only yours, forever."

Jethro clung to the man in his arms and kissed him back, unable to find words, but needing to express the same thing in return. Tony shifted so that Jethro slid out of him. They lay down on the pillows and then Jethro pulled Tony against his chest, holding him protectively. "Stay with me, Tony."

"I'm not going anywhere, Jethro. I'll stay right here for as long as you'll have me."

"No, I mean, stay, here. I want you here with me every morning when I wake up, and every day when I come home from work. I want to come home to you."

Tony looked up into the shining, vulnerable, blue eyes that gazed at him in wonder. "Are you…" Tony began, only to be interrupted.

"I'm asking you to live with me, Tony. You've brought a part of me back to life that died with my girls, and now that I have it again, now that I have you, I don't want to be alone. I want us to have a life together. I want to give you what you've given me - a home."

Tony stared at Jethro as though he had just been told the secret to life. He couldn't speak. _Home? A home with Jethro? Together?_ The tears that ran down his cheeks tickled, otherwise he wouldn't have known they were falling. He knew it was crazy, they had only been dating a week, but they had been friends for a lot longer. Tony had known as soon as he met Jethro that he needed him in his life, and wherever Jethro was had been home for a decade now. He thought of how things would be if they lived together, always waking up in one another's arms, knowing that at the end of the day, they had a sanctuary they could come home to together that no one could take from them, and his heart swelled.

"I would like that," he finally whispered.

"Yes? You'll move in?" Jethro's eyes widened in wonder.

"Yes!" Tony said with quiet excitement, a smile breaking out on his face. His arms reached around Gibbs and pulled him closer as he buried his neck in the older man's shoulder. "Jethro, I don't care where I'm at, as long as I'm with you."

"Out of all of the unexpected things this job has brought me, you are by far the best." Jethro said with a soft chuckle, kissing Tony's neck and cheek happily, his arms around the man he loved more than anything in the world.

"You're the best thing in my entire life, Jethro." Tony said, snuggling against the warm body that held him so safely. "Have been for years."

Jethro smiled and kissed Tony's head. "I love you, Tony."

"I love you too, Jethro."

Soon after, both men were snoring softly against one another, blissfully asleep.

Vance turned around and sat down on the couch of the lobby outside of his office. _Maybe I heard wrong,_ he thought. He played back the past couple of days through his head, and suddenly everything made sense. Every look that the two men had shared that he had felt left out of really was a private moment. _How did I miss this? I know how. DiNozzo's rep for chasing tail and Gibbs' four wives._ He rubbed his eyes and got to his feet. He just wanted to go home, get some sleep, and wake up to find out all of this was a nightmare.

Half an hour later, after spending the entire drive home trying to figure out how to confront his agents about their love affair, he pulled into his driveway. He huffed and puffed as he got his stuff from the car, and then took a deep breath before opening his front door. He was greeted by his two beautiful children, running up to him and throwing their arms around him as he ducked down to embrace them. He felt the joy they brought him seep down to his bones. He had been away too much this week, and he knew it. He couldn't tell Jackie why, and she had tried her best to be understanding. He looked up to see her standing in the doorway of the living room, waiting for the kids to get their turn with him.

She smiled at him in that way that told him she would love him no matter what. He stood up, telling his little ones to go hang out in the other room until he came in. They ran off and he turned towards Jackie. She stepped away from the door frame and moved to wrap him in a warm embrace, kissing him softly.

"I can't tell you how much I've missed you," he said softly.

"You just did." She kissed him again gently and pulled back. "Go get washed up and I'll get something to eat for you. Then you need to spend some time with those kids before you lie down." She moved to head into the kitchen, but Leon pulled her back towards him and held her tightly. He wanted to tell her why he had to stay at work, away from the family for so long. He wanted to tell her that it was to keep them safe, but he couldn't.

Jackie felt the desperation and the relief in her husband's embrace. She knew immediately just how close they had come this time, and held him tighter, stroking the back of his head with her tender touch. "I'm glad you're home safe, baby." Her words sent shivers down his back.

 _She always could read me better than anyone else,_ he thought. Jackie let him go and he watched her walk away into the kitchen with a smile. He knew he would do anything to keep his family safe.

That's when it hit him. _Of course DiNozzo and Gibbs are keeping it all a secret. They're trying to keep their team together._

The truth of the matter sunk in. DiNozzo wasn't afraid of Gibbs anymore, and the respect between them had grown into something mutual. Gibbs and DiNozzo were both happy and cheerful. Gibbs smiled every time DiNozzo walked into the room and trusted him enough to let him help with the op. They bounced off of each other so well at dinner the other night because they were talking about each other. They had the ability to have silent conversations with just a glance, knowing immediately what the other was thinking _. They must be serious about each other, otherwise they would never chance a relationship when it could break up their team,_ he thought.

Vance knew he would do anything and everything it took to keep his family together, even if it meant giving up his position and betraying everyone else. Jackie and the kids were his everything. The idea of losing any of his family made his heart ache. He knew that Gibbs had already lost that, and that DiNozzo had never been able to have it.

 _They're family._ _Who the hell am I to stand in the way of something so few of us find?_

Vance headed upstairs to change, thinking of ways he might be able to arrange to keep them from losing their jobs if their relationship were to be exposed. He thought about telling them that he had figured it out, and whether or not that would help. His thoughts were scattered while he showered, trying to figure out how long it had been going on, when it had happened and when he started noticing the changes in them. It didn't take long for him to realize that they were the best thing that had ever happened to one another. Now he just had to find a way to make sure they could stay together.


	13. Chapter 13

The phone ringing from Tony's pants pocket across the room woke both men up. Gibbs let out an almost pitiful noise as Tony jumped out of his arms to go retrieve it. Looking at the clock on the side of the bed, Gibbs decided they should be getting up anyway to go find out if the anthrax had been contained.

He sat up against the headboard, watching Tony's naked body bend over for his slacks and ran his hand down his face. The man was beautiful, and it took what little restraint Gibbs' sleep fuzzy brain could come up with to keep him from getting hard. He listened to Tony's side of the short conversation and watched his lover's expression turn serious, his eyes closing and his hand running through his hair. Something was wrong, and he knew that Tony was being called out.

"Are you sure she isn't just hiding somewhere?" Tony asked. "We'll be there as soon as possible. Call 9-1-1. Get police over to your house to start looking for her and let them know we're on the way, not to go into her room." Tony was already picking his clothes up and heading for the bathroom. Gibbs got up and headed into the small room after him, waiting for him to hang up before speaking.

"What's happening?" he asked, watching Tony jump under the water without waiting for it to warm up, washing evidence of their amazing morning together off of himself.

"The girl that…" Tony spluttered as water ran down his face, then continued. "That was sleeping with our midshipman has gone missing. She found out she's pregnant with his kid when she went for testing today. She freaked out, but she went home with her folks. They, of course, were freaking out, too. Now the girl is missing. Which, you'd think she just ran away, but…" Tony turned off the water and smiled a little as he took the towel Gibbs handed him, but it disappeared quickly. "Her bedroom window shows signs of being jimmied open from the outside, like with a crowbar, and her room looks like there was a pretty big struggle. Her room is the one above the garage, and her parents were in the basement office, trying to talk privately. They went upstairs to talk to her after their talk. They have one of those weird little bi-levels where the garage is like, build into a hill? Yanno?" Tony was yanking his pants on as he rambled and Gibbs watched him, following behind him as he rushed around the bedroom finding his socks, then sitting on the bed to put them on. Gibbs handed him a long sleeved navy blue tee to put on, still naked himself as he leaned against the dresser. "That was her mom. Gave her my card so, she called."

"I'll call Tim, you call Ziva." Gibbs said, reaching for his phone from the nightstand. Before he opened it to dial though, he reached down and gave Tony a deep, unexpected kiss. He had meant it to be just a quick peck, but as soon as his lips hit the younger man's, he had no choice but to deepen it, thrusting his tongue into his mouth and finding the bundle of nerves Tony was repressing released into it.

Tony stood up, still lip-locked with the older man, and brought his hands to his face, holding him close for a moment. When they finally broke apart with a gasp, Tony leaned his forehead against Gibbs'. "Thanks. I needed that."

Gibbs chuckled. "So did I."

Tony stood straight and looked at the eyes of his lover. He saw an uncertainty there that he had never seen before. He was confused for just a moment and then he understood; they weren't going to have time to talk about the big question that Gibbs had popped earlier.

"Hey." The blue eyes snapped up to look into Tony's green ones. "We'll talk about it when I get home tonight. Don't worry. The answer is still yes." Tony gave Gibbs his most genuine smile, finding it rewarded with a large grin and the return of Gibbs' usual spark.

"Good. Now get your ass in gear and go find that girl." Gibbs said, turning Tony around and pushing him towards the door. Tony grabbed his trench off of the coatrack on his way out the door, and then checked to make sure he had everything. Once satisfied with his pat-down, he yelled a hurried goodbye up the steps and then ran out the door, pulling out his phone to dial Ziva.

Gibbs was on the phone with McGee already when he heard Tony's farewell and then the door close.

"Boss?" McGee answered, sounding drowsy himself.

"Yeah, McGee. Tony needs you to meet him at the house of the girl from the case today. Grab the truck. She's missing and there's evidence of a struggle." Gibbs could hear the younger agent jumping out of bed and thumping stuff around as he threw himself together quickly.

"Be there as soon as I can, Boss. Leaving in two." McGee hung up on Gibbs for once, not even realizing it until he was on the way to the Navy Yard.

Gibbs shook his head and looked at his phone. The click wasn't something he was used to hearing. It left him feeling a little odd.

He shrugged and got in the shower, knowing that he was going to have to head into work shortly. He turned the water on and let it run down his shoulders and back, easing the tension that had formed as he watched Tony rush out of the house without him. He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much to see Tony go off to a scene without him, but he had a feeling it had to do with the fact he wouldn't be there to protect him. He knew that Tony had Tim and Ziva, but they were his team, and he felt it was his job to protect them all, even his lover and SFA.

He stepped out of the shower a few minutes later and dried himself with a rough cotton towel. He looked down at the towel and realized that he probably should start looking into getting some new ones. He didn't mind them a little rough, but with Tony there, he figured a few new towels would be nice.

He smiled and thought about all of the things that Tony would want to bring with him when he moved in. He imagined that pretty soon, there would be a home where a house once stood, and it made everything in him settle. Things were changing, turning his life upside down and throwing him into a whirlwind that he knew was just starting to pick up, but he was finally ready for it.

He had been waiting twenty years to really let someone in, and now that he had let Tony, he was never letting him go.

Gibbs put his clothes on without quite thinking about it, instead thinking of Tony and their new life together. He imagined Tony coming home from work late one night, grabbing a shower, getting into his favorite flannel PJ pants and coming to sit on the basement steps with a beer while he worked on some project, only this time, they're joking and laughing. He imagined himself coming home late to find Tony waiting up for him on the couch, with a classic movie on, the screen portraying a black and white mobster love story. He pictured himself putting his head against the younger man's shoulder while they watched, letting the day slip away, and falling asleep together right there. Yes, this was right, and he wanted it to last forever.

Sipping the cup of coffee he had poured for himself, he thought about the things he should get to make Tony start feeling more at home until they could get his stuff over there. He wanted Tony to move in the next day, but he knew that wasn't feasible. There were responsibilities to take care of, like leases and a moving truck, and the ever important evil of talking it through, but he was willing to even do that if it meant having Tony with him when he went to bed every night a case didn't claim them.

Finally, realizing what time it was, Gibbs chugged his coffee mug down. He then filled a Styrofoam to-go cup, snapped a lid on it, and took a deep breath to put himself back into work mode as he headed out the front door.

* * *

Tony had called Ziva, giving her the short version. He was halfway to the Holdales' house when he took a deep breath and smelled the familiar scent of Jethro. It calmed him immediately until the question of where it came from entered his mind. It took him a minute to remember that he was wearing his lover's shirt, and then he smiled. They were going to have to be careful; sharing clothes like that could expose them. They did after all work with investigators all day, and it wouldn't take much for them to realize whose clothes he kept coming in wearing.

He chuckled at the idea that Tim just might notice the shirt right away, especially since Jethro had called him to meet Tony at the scene. He was once again relieved that he had someone he could share his joy with. He wanted to tell Tim about Jethro asking him to move in, but he wasn't sure Jethro would be okay with that bit of information getting out to anyone yet. They hadn't even had their own discussion about it, so he decided to put off talking to his confidant.

Fantasies ran through Tony's head about what it was going to be like to finally have a place where he could stay. He'd been at NCIS for ten years now, and it had been a home for the man who never really had one. Work didn't have to be home now; he had the real thing.

He shook his head and tried to get focused on the case at hand. There was a missing, pregnant teenage girl, and their prime suspect was looking like a woman who had just lost her husband while he was having sex with said teenage girl. Delaina Micic had said earlier that if her husband hadn't already been dead when she found him, he would have been. The way she reacted when she found out that Merry Holdale had been the one he was cheating on her with was violent, but she collapsed so quickly into a drained, bawling, heartbroken woman, that it seemed to be part of the natural cycling of a grieving mother and wife.

Tony pulled up to the scene to find the LEOs there and searching the neighborhood. Some were already at the Micics' house, flashing lights in each window, including the basement windows, coming to the same natural conclusion. Others were talking to Mr. and Mrs. Holdale. He got out of his car and headed straight for the parents. Mr. Holdale had his arms wrapped rightly around his wife who was crying and mumbling to herself. Tony caught the words "fault" and "not hear" in her ramblings and knew that she was blaming herself. Her husband stared at Tony who nodded back at him.

The officer with them nodded at Tony and then led him into the house. "They're pretty shaken up. Were downstairs when it happened up here. There's no way they would've heard. They made that office specifically in that spot of the house because it's so quiet. I've known these folks a while. Richard used to do stock trading when Merry was little, and they put up extra drywall just to keep it sound proof. Hard to concentrate on the market with a screaming baby upstairs. He wanted to work from home though so he could be closer to her as soon as the market closed. Wasn't enough. He left the business to spend more time with his family. That little girl is his life. Whatever I can do to help, let me know."

Tony liked the man immediately. He cared about this family and gave Tony the feeling that he was still in the job for all the right reasons. "Thanks. My team will be here soon to do the forensics in the bedroom. Was there any sign that the Micic's house had been entered tonight?"

"No. And the dogs are combing the woods. The girl's scent was picked up right outside the window, but after that, there's spots here and there leading through the yard where she probably escaped her attacker, or was released momentarily, and then picked back up. She's a small girl, she wouldn't be hard to carry."

They approached Merry's bedroom and the open door gave them a good view of the struggle pattern. Merry probably was asleep in bed when the attacker jimmied the window. Tony looked at the string of things knocked over between the bed and the window. He heard familiar voices over his shoulder and found McGee and Ziva coming towards them. "Hey, probies. Let's get in here."

The two agents went past him and into the room looking around and wondering where to start. Tim left the kit by the door and snapped on his gloves, then handed a pair to Tony, who stepped into the room to take them. Tony put them on as he turned to the officer at the door. "I'll let you know as soon as possible if we have anything turn up that can help with the search. Send someone over to Delaina Micic's sister's house to get a headcount. If anyone is missing, call me right away."

The officer nodded. "Will do. Good luck."

Tony nodded back. "Thanks."

The three agents looked around the room, placing markers where things needed to be photographed and collecting traces of materials by the window. Ziva had begun snapping pictures when Tim noticed a pair of headphones lying on the floor next to the bed. He looked around for an mp3 player or phone that they would have been plugged into, but couldn't find one. He climbed onto the bed and looked for it between the wall and the mattress, but found nothing.

"Whatcha thinkin' McGruff?" Tony asked when he noticed how Tim was searching for something specific, looking very much like one of the search dogs.

"Tony, there's headphones, but no player. There's no ipod, no cell phone, not even a laptop. If she was listening to music when she was taken, she may have the player with her. Depending on what type it is, it might have GPS built in. I need to go talk to her dad. Be right back." Tim headed past Tony, taking quick strides through the house and out to the front stoop where the Holdales were still holding one another and watching the neighborhood being searched.

"I'm sorry to bother you both, but I need to know if Merry had an mp3 player or a cell phone that she could have been listening to when she was taken." Tim looked to Richard Holdale, praying he would deliver good news.

"We got her an iPhone for her birthday last year. We wanted her to have a good phone to get in touch with us, figuring her senior year was coming up and she'd want to go out more with friends. She loved it, but more for the other things it did. She's always reading on it and listening to music, looking things up on it when she had a question that neither of us knew the answer to." Richard looked at Tim with questioning eyes.

"I can't find it. Do you know where it is?" Tim asked.

Richard's eyes lit up, knowing where Tim was going with this. "No. She would have had it with her. She _always_ had that thing in her pocket, a wire strung between it and her ears."

Tim got the phone number of the cell and met the man's eyes. "Thanks. I'll let you know as soon as I have more information for you." He jogged back into the house and into the bedroom. "She's going to have her phone on her. I need to call Abby." Tim began dialing the number while Tony and Ziva packed up the gear.

"Hey Timmy, thought you were going to stay in tonight, catch up on some sleep?" Abby answered.

"Abs, I'm at a crime scene. Are you still in the lab?" He had run into Abby as she came in to run the standard tox screen for Ducky and then stayed to do her monthly requisition forms. He prayed she was at her computer.

"Yeah. I just shut everything down. Let me wake my babies back up. What's going on?" Tim smiled to himself. She made the transition from lover to co-worker with ease, simply flipping a switch in her mind somewhere, and Tim was grateful that they could do it so easily.

"I need you to track the GPS in a cell phone for me. The girl from the Micic case is missing and it's obvious she's been kidnapped. We think she has her phone on her." Tim could hear Abby's fingers already click-clacking on her keyboard and knew just when she was ready for the number by their rhythm, a pattern set in his mind long ago.

"Oh geez, Tim!" Abby started when the results came up. "Normally, I wouldn't be creeped out by this, but seeing as there's a young girl missing, this is totally creeping me out, and she's not me, so she's probably scared to death right now and t-"

"Abby! Where is it?" Tim cut in.

"Sorry, Timmy. Oakwood Cemetery. I'm bringing up satellite imagery now. I'll try to get you guys a better idea of where and what's happening. Call me back in five." Abby hung up the phone and Tim turned to Tony and Ziva who were waiting.

"She's in Oakwood Cemetery. Or at least her phone is. Abby's pulling satellite right now so we can get a better idea of where," he announced. He grabbed the kit from Tony and waited for instructions.

"Atta boy McGruff! Let's go, kids!" Tony said, reaching up and shaking Tim for a moment by his shoulder. They got out to the porch and Tony let Tim tell the parents where they were going while he tracked down the officer he talked with earlier.

"Peters! Oakwood Cemetery! Girl's cell phone is still on her." Peters looked at Tony and then whistled to his officers.

"I need Travalone, Burgess, Scott and Michaels with me. We got a lead on where the girl is." His voice carried and was followed by a few shouts of celebration from the men and women combing the woods behind the house. Four officers headed towards where they were standing from the woods, two with dogs, and Tim and Ziva came to stand with them after storing the gear in the truck.

Peters turned towards Tony. "There's not many places to hide in that cemetery. There's a lot of trees though, and in some parts the older, large headstones." Tony looked at him, wondering how he knew it so well. "My parents are buried there." Peters shrugged. Tony nodded.

"McGee, Abby got that satellite up yet?" Tony asked, looking next to him as Tim pulled out his phone to call. They all waited with baited breath, the only noise the panting of the dogs at their heels.

"Abby, I'm putting you on speaker. We're with locals and I've got Tony and Ziva here." Tim put his phone out into the middle of the group, holding it so everyone could hear.

"She's there with two other people. The heat signatures are hard to tell, but they look twice her size, so they must be pretty big." She said, describing the situation.

"No, she's just really small." Tony said. "Abs, where in the cemetery are they?"

"There's a strip mall that butts up against the back of it. They're closer to that end. I can't get an image of the parking lot from satellite because it's so dark now, but the moon is going to be full tonight so hopefully that will help. They're past the first access road. Call me when you get there and I can try to lead you better, but the satellite trajectory is supposed to change soon for the one I've been using to get the image, so you'll have to hurry." Abby was talking a mile a minute and Tony was glad. He knew that speed was of the essence at this point.

"Thanks, Abs. Will do." Tim hung up the phone and Tony looked at Peters. "Let's go." The officer nodded at him and they each went their separate ways, trying to hurry to their vehicles without running in case the Holdales were watching. They didn't need them worried any more than they already were. Tim had had a hard enough time telling them that they needed to stay home in case she tried to call.

They all drove separately, Ziva in her car, Tony in his, and Tim in the crime scene truck. They followed the red and blue lights of Peters' police car as they pulled into a strip mall about ten minutes away, and then behind the buildings, over the turf into the cemetery and onto an access road.

They all got out of their cars and drew their weapons and flashlights. Tim and Ziva came up behind Tony and he motioned for them to stay together. Tony headed for Peters and moved with him through the slew of plots and headstones, aiming his light at every tree, silently hoping to find movement behind each one that would reveal where their kidnappers and victim were. Tony ducked behind a headstone and pulled his phone out, hitting Abby's speed dial. She answered, talking immediately. "I see you guys. Two went to the left, two are in the middle and three with what looks like dogs? Maybe? They went up the road and are backtracking. The two on the left are heading for Merry and the bad guys."

Tony could see the flashlights of the other officers with the dogs as they backtracked, meaning that Ziva and Tim were the two heading towards their perps and vic. He gave a shrill whistle. "Thanks Abs, he whispered." The cops and their dogs all stopped and looked towards Tony who motioned silently for them all to head towards where Ziva and Tim were heading. He took a deep breath and felt a bit of anxiety at the thought that he had directed them to go off together, right towards the danger. He tried not to think about it and moved quickly and stealthily behind them.

When they all caught up, Ziva and Tim were circling an open ended mausoleum shaped like an L. They could all hear noises coming from inside, echoing. Two people were arguing, a man and a woman. Tony's eyebrows went up, confused by who they were, not recognizing their voices. The dogs were going crazy, jumping and giving off their tells, trying to get closer to the entry of the stone building and to the girl within.

Tony came up on Tim's side, and the younger man looked at him with a nod. Tony motioned for Peters and his other dogless man to go around the other side and cover Ziva. Tony signaled and he and Tim moved in on their side, shouting for the captors to freeze and raise their hands. Instead of following orders, they took off running down to the other end of the L. They heard the sounds of struggle as Tony bent down to check on Merry, who was lying on the cold granite floor. She was out cold, probably drugged, but her breathing was steady.

There was suddenly a sound behind him and when he looked up, Tim had Delaina Micic's sister, Sandy, pressed up against the wall, face first, one arm twisted behind her back. Tony looked at Tim for a moment with raised eyebrows as he cuffed her. Once he realized Tim had it well under control, he turned back to the girl on the ground, dialing for an ambulance and holding his fingers to the side of her neck to double check her pulse, comforted by it heavy thumping.

He directed the dispatcher to where they were, and then swooped to pick the girl up and carry her out into the moonlight. The dogs whined, but stayed where they were lying on the ground. Tim had Sandy, and Ziva had a man no one had ever seen before. They marched the kidnappers towards where their cars were waiting on the access road. They put them both in the back of Peters' car so he could bring them to NCIS, seeing as they all had their personal cars with them. One of the officers opened the back of the crime scene truck and Tony sat down with Merry on the floor, his feet dangling over the edge while they waited for the ambulance. He had been drugged a few times himself and he knew that waking up from it wasn't a pleasant experience. He figured she would rather wake up with someone she recognized in a truck than on the floor of a cemetery vault.

Tim and Ziva joined him. Tim was on his cell, already calling Richard Holdale to tell him that they had his daughter and were waiting for an ambulance to take her to get checked out. Ziva looked at Tony with the young woman in his arms and sat down next to them. She was looking at them strangely for a long moment before Tony broke under her gaze.

"What?" Tony asked her.

"You are different lately. I am not sure how to explain it, but it is suits you." Ziva looked from the young woman in Tony's arms, to his serious green eyes again that stared back at her, a bit of pain in them.

Tony felt like he owed her an explanation as to what it was that was grounding him and giving him the courage to let himself bring down the clown barricade. She had told him about her fear of being pregnant after all. She had been a close friend for a long time now. He gave her a sad smile, knowing that it wasn't time yet.

"I guess that's what happens when you're happy." Tony said softly, trying to smile at her, but was made immediately aware of the woman in his arms as she began to stir. She suddenly jerked up, eyes wide and terrified. The light in the back of the van gave the look on her face an even more ominous feel. The sound of ambulance sirens could be heard nearing, and Tony felt relieved.

"Merry?" Tony said, looking down at the frightened girl in his arms. "It's okay. You're okay now. You're safe. Your folks will be here soon, but we're going to get you checked out, okay?"

"Agent DiNozzo? Where… where am I?" Tears were slipping over the girl's cheeks and she started to shake rather violently. Ziva reached into a drawer behind her and pulled out a blanket, wrapping it around the girl who pulled it close and clung to Tony as she cried.

"We're in the crime scene truck." Tony said, trying not to frighten her by telling her they were in a spooky graveyard. "You were taken by Nate's sister-in-law and a man. Are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere?" Tony's voice was calm and gentle. Merry said nothing, but continued to shake and cry in his lap, her arms around his neck. Tony noticed Tim motioning to someone and knew that the EMS had arrived. They came around the truck with a gurney and took in the sight.

"Merry? The EMTs are going to check you out and take you to the hospital until the drugs wear off. Your parents should be here any minute, and one of them can ride with you. Okay?" Tim tried to sound comforting and was rewarded with Merry letting go of Tony's neck to turn towards him and nod. Ziva stood up and pulled one of the EMTs aside. Tony knew she was going to fill her in on the extent of the situation and the pregnancy. He got up and moved to lay Merry on the stretcher. She let go and lay back, crying.

Tony saw two shadowy forms running towards them. He moved back out of the way as they came to the side of the stretcher and took their daughter's hands, her mother tenderly moving the hair from her face and whispering to her. Tony didn't miss the look that Richard gave Tim, full of gratitude. Tony gave Tim a proud smile. His little probie was growing up. He knew why Tim had passed on the cyber-crimes position, and that he was happy where he was at, but like himself, he knew that Tim could easily be doing so much more by now.

The ambulance soon pulled away with Merry and her mother, Richard following behind them in their car. Tony sent Tim and Ziva back to the yard with the truck and Peters, letting them know that they were to put the two kidnappers in separate rooms to boil while he went and got Merry's statement at the hospital. He waited for everyone else to leave and then pulled his phone out.

_Got the girl back safe. T and Z are bringing her kidnappers back to the yard, I'm going to the hospital to get Merry's statement. Did "clean-up" go okay?_

Tony turned the car on, knowing that he probably wouldn't get a text right back, and Merry wouldn't be ready for a statement for a bit. The heat cranked up, and the windows defrosting, he let himself get lost in thought.

_We're not going to be able to keep this a secret much longer if we move in together. I wonder if Jethro really meant what he said about wanting to tell everyone. I should tell Ziva. I should tell Abby. I can't tell Ziva and not tell Abby, but if we tell Abby… uuuuuhhhhgggg…_

Tony's thoughts were interrupted by the chime of his phone. He opened it to find a text back from Gibbs.

_Good. All cleaned up. I'm already back home, wishing you were with me. Going to bed. See you when you get home. Love you._

Tony smiled and took a deep breath.

_Love you 2 Jethro. I'll wake you up when I get there._

Tony pulled out of his spot, and headed to the hospital. It didn't take long for him to get the statement from Merry. They had given her something to counteract the drug in her system and she was wide awake and alert. Her parents looked exhausted, and Tony left hoping that they had a chance to sleep soon.

He was leaving the lot when his phone rang. He saw the caller ID and put it on the speaker cradle. "What's up McGeek?"

"Delaina Micic just called. She said she was worried because her sister was missing and she was being a little over-zealous before she lay down for a nap earlier. She wouldn't say about what, but when I told her that we had Sandy in custody, she said she was coming in." Tim sounded apprehensive on the other end of the line.

"Good. Maybe she can convince an easy confession out of her sister, and we can end this. Did she indicate who the man was?" Tony asked. He could hear Tim's sigh of relief on the other end of the phone.

"She said that she had a good idea of who it was, but she didn't give me a name. Are you going to be here soon?" Tim obviously didn't want to have to deal with Micic without him.

"I'm heading back to the yard now. Hopefully I beat her there. You guys working on your reports?" Tony turned down the road towards the yard.

"Yeah. We're both done with as much as we can have done. Abby is processing evidence already. Gibbs came down, got his stuff and left." Tim's voice lowered and Tony knew that whatever was about to be said was to be said in secret. The echo in the phone changed when Tim started talking again and Tony knew that he had gone around the corner behind the stairs so Ziva couldn't hear. "He seemed pretty eager to get out of here. Everything okay?"

Tony couldn't help but smile broadly. "Definitely. He asked me to move in." Tony was so excited suddenly, needing to share his news with Tim.

"Wait, as in, move in? Into his house? Live with him?" Tim's hushed flabbergasted voice fed Tony's joy.

"Yup! He said that he wanted me to make it a home again, like it was with his girls." Tony felt his voice crack despite himself, and he cleared his throat.

"Wow. That's… that's huge Tony. I take it you said yes?" Tim asked.

Tony sighed happily. "Oh yeah. We haven't really talked much about it yet, but I want this more than I have ever wanted anything. Don't know how we're going to keep it a secret yet, but I'm loving the idea too much to let all of that bring me down."

"That's wonderful. I'm happy for you. Both of you." Tim hesitated a moment. "I don't think Abby and I will be ready for that for a long time."

"Probably not. Jethro and I have been dancing around this for years, so it makes sense. You guys tried it, backed off, and are coming back around now. Enjoy what you have. There's nothing wrong with it. What's right for us isn't going to be right for you two." Tony knew his friend's insecurities well by now.

"True." Tim said after thinking a moment.

"I'm pulling in now. I'll be up in a minute." They said their quick goodbyes and a few minutes later, Tony was standing in the bullpen, shedding his coat and pulling a button down out of the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet to put on over his t-shirt. He had just gotten it tucked in, chatting it up with Ziva and Tim when the elevator dinged and a guard came through with Delaina Micic and Keegan.

She headed straight for Tony. "What did she do?" she asked without even saying hello, looking at Tony with sad, imploring eyes.

"She kidnapped Merry Holdale." Tony said flat out. "She had a man with her, but they won't give up his name."

"That would be Justin. He's her ex-husband's little brother. He just got out of jail. She knows that man is in love with her and would move mountains for her. She could have easily gotten him to do this with her. I didn't want this, Agent DiNozzo. She was going crazy this afternoon. Wouldn't let me sleep, kept Keegan up with her tirades. I just wanted a few hours of sleep to clear my head. I finally locked Keegan and I in her bedroom. The next thing I know, it's going on eight o'clock, Keegan was crying, my head was pounding and I couldn't find Sandy."

"Would you be comfortable talking to her? Try to get her to confess? It could really help her if she co-operates and gives us the info we need, but as of yet, she hasn't been willing to say anything. It's pretty obvious. We found her with Justin and Merry in a mausoleum together."

Delaina switched the hip that she carried Keegan on as he slept in her arms through their discussion. It took a minute of thinking before she nodded at Tony, who mentally sighed. He wanted this case over with. He led her to observation and Ziva followed them in.

"I'm going to go talk to her first, and then you can go in and talk to her." Tony slipped out and into the interrogation room, leaving Ziva with Delaina and Keegan. He began with asking Sandy some basic questions and telling her that confessing would make it easier on her. She wouldn't tell her anything though and so he stood up and left the room. He moved into observation and nodded to Delaina. She moved and handed Keegan to a surprised Ziva, who took him with wide eyes. Tony smiled at the sight of her holding the sleeping child. Her petite frame looked swallowed up by the two years old in her arms, but as comical as her expression was, he thought it looked natural for her to be holding a child.

Delaina marched into interrogation and went off on Sandy. She was suddenly a force to be reckoned with, and it was only then that Tony realized that Delaina was the older of the two. The woman had been so fragile earlier, but now she was the stronger of the two, demanding and direct. When she opened the door to tell Tony to come back in, he came out of observation and they both stood in front of Sandy as she told the entire story. She had roped Justin into it, not telling him what they were doing until they were at the house and sneaking around back. He stayed outside the window as the lookout while she argued with Merry, and then subdued her with chloroform before dragging her to the window.

They had been hiding in the mausoleum with the girl so that they could have a place to think. Justin wanted to just go drop her off in yard down the road from her house, itching to wash his hands of everything. Sandy wanted to go leave her deep in the Virginia woods to have to fend for herself, make a "real adult" out of her.

Tony and Delaina eventually left her alone in the room and returned to Ziva and Keegan. Ziva was swaying gently with the child as they came in. She handed him back to his mother with a smile.

"Ziva, go talk to Justin. See if he corroborates the story. I'm going to go check in with McGeek and see if he and Abby have finished processing what they need to." He said it quietly as not to wake the child who had miraculously not awoken yet. He looked at Delaina Micic who appeared even more exhausted than he felt, and he understood why.

"You've been a big help. I'm sorry for everything you've been through today. Have you called the counselors yet?" He asked.

"I called them earlier. I'll be going in tomorrow to sit down with them. I don't feel like any of this is real." Tony nodded at her and she continued. "I mean, first, Nate, and now Sandy and Justin? I just want to go home and sleep for days."

Tony asked if she needed help getting home and she assured him she would be fine, and he believed her completely. She was nothing like the woman he encountered earlier in the day, and it was good to see. It wasn't going to be easy, but she would get through this.

He sat behind his desk, hands running through his hair as his PC booted up. He called down to Tim and Abby for an update on the evidence. It was almost finished. Fingerprints on the window sill had matched the two kidnappers, and that pretty much made everything solid. He hung up and started in on the report. Half an hour later, Ziva came in and sat down at her desk.

"Well? How'd it go?" he asked, looking across the aisle at her.

"He is… not the brightest. He told me everything, and then some. That woman is crazy. Not healthy at all. She has been playing with his brain for a long time."

"You mean playing with his head, messing with his mind?" Tony clarified.

"Yes, those things. He has been trying to get her to go out with him for a long time. She says she will, uses him for something, and then finds excuses not to go. He said he did not fall for it the last time, but this time, she was crying and he gave in. Everything else happened just like she said." Ziva shook her head and began typing up the rest of her report. Tim joined them shortly and soon, the only sounds in the bullpen were three keyboards working.

Tony had his report printed up and on the stack with the other two about an hour after Tim and Ziva left. It was midnight and he yawned before putting on his coat and heading out. The temperature had dropped significantly since their earlier adventure. He pulled his coat around him as he got out of his car and headed up the steps into Gibbs' house. He closed the door behind him gently, so that he wouldn't wake his lover. Tony hung his coat up and kicked off his shoes before heading upstairs. He watched his lover sleeping in the moonlight as he took off his clothes and crawled into bed with him. He kissed him gently and Jethro's lashes fluttered to reveal sleepy blue eyes.

"Hey." A dreamy smile formed slowly across Jethro's face and he wrapped his arms around Tony, kissing him gently before snuggling up against him. A few minutes later, they were both sleeping soundly against one another.

* * *

Tony slipped out of Jethro's arms in the middle of the night to hit the head. He headed to the kitchen afterwards to grab a bottle of water to soothe his dry throat, and found himself drawn to the moonlight shining in the back door. It felt like he was standing in the middle of a dream as he looked out on the moonlit back yard that was covered with a perfectly thin layer of snow, making everything shimmer in white.

 _When did that fall?_ He thought.

He watched as the colors danced off the snow, shining and sparkling, revealing the magical beauty that white light on white snow hid. It was iridescent, and it made him dazed in a good way. He sighed deeply and let a small, genuinely content smile cross his lips.

This was going to be his home soon. It felt right. He had never been as sure of anything as he was that Gibbs' house was home, something he had looked for his entire life, though he knew it had nothing to do with the building. Gibbs' house is where Gibbs was, therefore, it was and would always be, home.

In those strong arms, protected, safe, wanted and loved, Tony found shelter from all of the insecurities, all of the denial, the self-defamation, the pain… Gibbs loved him, and if Gibbs said he was worthy of being loved, he was. It was like Gibbs telling the part of Tony that had been barely hanging onto hope, that it wasn't allowed to die, saving him yet again. This time, the disease wasn't physical, and the scars had long since made themselves known, but Gibbs had begun to heal even the oldest of them in just a week.

Tony remembered where they were a week before, sitting in a bar, laughing and talking. It was so natural, so comfortable, so exciting and fun. It was great. He smiled to himself thinking about how it all had begun years before, taking him by surprise when he realized he wasn't just physically attracted to the man he had just tackled to the ground, but also intellectually attracted. Gibbs was smart and calculating, able to read people in ways that Tony respected and admired.

He shook his head at himself. He had always marveled over the man, and now Jethro was upstairs in bed asleep without him. Tony turned on his heels and smiled broadly as he bounded up the stairs and back to bed. He slipped his arms around his lover, and felt Gibbs' arms come around him easily, pulling him close against him. His mind tried to race with questions about their relationship, and Tony shut them down immediately. He knew that time would tell, so for now, he was going to enjoy the man in his arms, and have a perfect night's sleep.

* * *

Gibbs woke up with his face pressed against Tony's chest, hearing his heartbeat. He inhaled Tony's scent and nuzzled against the younger man. He knew Tony hadn't gotten in until late last night and decided to let him sleep. He gently untangled himself from Tony's arms and stared into his sleeping face for a long moment. _Definitely wanna wake up to that every day,_ he thought, smiling. He spent some time in the bathroom shaving and taking care of his morning business, then got dressed and headed for the kitchen.

The familiar smell of coffee began its therapeutic effect before he had even poured a cup. He drank it down and poured another before sitting at the kitchen table with a notebook and pencil. He started making a list of all of the things that he wanted to do to make Tony feel at home until they could get him moved in.

TOWELS

HAZELNUT STUFF/CREAM/SUGAR

FOOD

He chuckled to himself at that one, thinking about how rarely he actually went to the grocery store. There was almost never anything to eat in the house. "Any food" would be an upgrade from the current "no food" status he was in. He knew some of Tony's staples, so he could make sure they were there for him.

MAKE ROOM IN CLOSET. **A LOT** OF ROOM.

MICROWAVE POPCORN

He tried to think about what else he could do, but he knew that soon enough, the entire house would be overrun with Tony's belongings. That's when it hit him. They were going to need more room to store things until they could all be unpacked, and Jack was planning on coming up next month, so they couldn't put it all in the guest room. His mind began racing with the overwhelming concept that he was going to have his dad with him and Tony in the house, which meant telling him that they were together.

The other idea swimming around in his head was even more confusing though. He thought about Kelly's bedroom upstairs, vacant for so long, but barely touched. He hadn't been in it for years now. He took a deep breath. It was time; time to clear out the room, and time to let them go and move on with his life. His thoughts and feelings wrestled with one another. He thought he should feel guilt, pain, and sorrow, but he didn't. Instead, he felt relief, joy and comfort.

He stared across the room at the wall for a long time, letting the thoughts turn in his head. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He picked up his mug, refilled it and headed for the basement. He had been working on a bench for back porch, and the idea of getting lost in some sanding sounded like a good idea. Before he made it through the door though, he turned back to the notepad. Taking a deep breath to find his resolve, he added one more thing to the list.

CLEAN OUT KELLY'S ROOM

* * *

Tony woke up chilly and alone. He rolled over, confused that Jethro wasn't in bed with him. He saw the clock read a little after 1000 though and he smiled. _Of course he's up. He was asleep long before I got home._

Tony sat up and stretched, working the kinks out of his back and then, as he stood, his knee. He still popped and cracked a bit as he headed for the bathroom to shower and finally shave. Twenty minutes later, he was dressed in his jeans, a t-shirt he pilfered from Jethro's drawers, and his own sweatshirt. He felt comfortable and warm with the man's shirt against his skin, and his favorite hoodie over it. He decided he liked it better than any of his suits, surprising himself. It had been a while since he didn't feel the need to hide behind a suit.

He headed to the kitchen to find the coffee waiting, but no Jethro. He noticed the list on the table and scanned it. As he came to the last item on the list, he sat heavily in a chair. At first, he didn't know what to think. That was unexpected, and he knew it was going to take a huge toll on his lover. Then another thought occurred to him. _Maybe he's finally ready for that, now that he doesn't have to do it alone._ He smiled to himself and felt a warmth go through him that had nothing to do with hoodies or coffee. His eyes closed for a moment as he let himself bask in the feeling. In the silence though, he began to hear the faint sounds of sanding coming from the basement, and it pulled himself out of the trance.

He made his way slowly down the basement steps, trying to remain casual but not feeling it. This was the first time they had been in the basement since they had gotten together. It was a safe place for both of them, and he knew exactly what had driven Jethro back into it. He leaned against the work bench for a long while, and stared at his lover's hands as they sanded the wood of a beautiful bench.

"Will you tell me about her someday?" Tony asked quietly, trying to make eye contact with Jethro's dropped eyes. It took such a long time for Jethro to respond that Tony didn't think he was going to.

"Maybe. It just feels weird, talking about Shannon… and Kelly… especially with you," he admitted softly.

"That's because you see me as trying to replace her, fill her shoes. Isn't it?" Tony asked, still quiet but with an assertive voice that made Jethro look up at him.

"Jethro, I'm never going to replace them. I wouldn't want to. I am just me, and what we have is something so different from what the two of you had. It's not fair to your girls, or to me, or even to yourself to keep comparing us." Tony made sure to keep his voice gentle but firm. He knew that was the reason why none of his marriages had worked. _Lucky for me,_ he thought.

After a long minute of silence, Jethro's shoulders dropped and the older man sighed deeply. "What you and I have going on… it's incredible. I never thought I would be this happy again. That's where it stops- the comparing. I was happy then, and I'm happy now, and it reminds me of Shannon and Kelly, and who I was then. I feel like I _should_ feel guilty, like I did with the exes, but I don't. That has me confused. This is uncharted territory for me. I'm just trying to find my ground, and that's just _so damn hard_ , when every time I look at you, every time I hear your voice, I…" Jethro shook his head, at a loss for words. How did Tony always do this to him? How did Tony get him to open up like this?

"When every time I look at you, every defense I've managed to build over the years comes crashing down around me, and you are there, inside the perimeter I've spent so long keeping everyone out of. And I like it, I _need_ it, having you there, so close, and it makes me feel like I'm starting a new life, becoming someone I haven't ever let myself be… and that scares me, and I… I mourn all of the could- have-beens if I just would have let someone in sooner, at the same time knowing that I _couldn't_ let anyone in sooner. It had to be you. I have spent twenty years waiting for you… for you to break through so that I wouldn't be alone anymore. I don't want to be alone anymore."

Tony had been standing against the work bench, watching Jethro come to terms with what he was feeling, actually talking about it. Tony was astonished, and the intensity of the words being spoken had his heart fluttering and his eyes glazing over. He moved to his lover and wrapped his arms around his waist. "You won't ever be alone again, Jethro. I promise."

Jethro's arms came around Tony tightly, holding onto him for support as he felt himself unraveling. He needed the comfort of the man in his arms. He needed to be close to him, to feel his breath on his skin and hear his voice in his ear whispering those words. He wanted to do this, to take on this new world, but he couldn't do it without Tony.

Tony held onto Jethro, his chin on top of his lover's head as Jethro buried himself in the neck of his sweatshirt. "You do the same thing to me, you know?" Tony started saying softly, his hands rubbing comforting circles on Jethro's back. "You make me bring down the walls. Anytime I brought them down in the past, I felt vulnerable, but now, I bring them down and I feel powerful, confident. I know I've got you in my corner, and I feel like, for the first time in my life, I can be myself and someone loves me for that."

Jethro brought his head up so that he could look Tony in the eyes. "I've always loved you for who you are, Tony. A part of me didn't want all of your better traits to come to the surface. They were just for me, a secret we shared. Not to mention, I was afraid if you really let everyone see the real you, you'd move up and off the team, and I'd lose you. I'm afraid of that now, but knowing that you're going to come home to me every night makes it a lot easier to take."

"You think I'm going to leave the team?" Tony asked, the conversation with Vance running through his head. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Jethro about it, yet.

Jethro shrugged. "I wouldn't blame you if you took a team lead position if Vance were to offer one to you."

"Did he tell you he was going to? Because he tried to have a heart to heart with me about that earlier, and I told him that I'm happy where I'm at."

Before Tony could blink, Jethro's lips were pressed against his with a needy kiss full of relief and desperation that took his breath away. He kissed his lover back, arms tightening around him with the promise that he wasn't going anywhere. Tony had never expected Jethro's fear of being left. It made sense, losing his first love and then being left by three women he had tried to replace her with, but this was Tony, the loyal Saint Bernard through and through. He wouldn't ever choose to leave Jethro's team, and he was never going to choose to leave his life. He poured as much reassurance into the kiss as possible.

Jethro's hands reached for the edge of Tony's sweatshirt and slipped under it and the soft tee below. He needed more contact, skin on skin, to make sure Tony was real and in his arms. Tony groaned at the way his lover's fingers brushed over his sides and then clutched his back. His hands made their way up to Jethro's shoulders before one slipped back into his hair, pulling slightly and making Jethro growl into the kiss.

Their bodies pressed against each other as hard as they could, letting each other know just how much of a reaction they were having on one another. Their breaths were becoming shorter and shorter, panting in a desperate need to touch one another and find release. Tony caught Jethro's bottom lip between his teeth and Jethro's hands slid into the back of Tony's jeans, finding he had bypassed boxers this morning and groaned as he made contact with Tony's ass. He had a palm on each cheek and pulled Tony sharply against him, slamming their groins together.

Tony kept one hand in Jethro's hair, while the other ran down his clothed chest and stomach until it found the button on Jethro's jeans. It was hard to unbutton them considering the strain the older man's erection was having on the fabric, and somewhere in the back of Tony's head, he suddenly realized just why Jethro wore his jeans so loose. The button finally opened and Tony unzipped the pants, letting them droop down Jethro's legs.

Jethro pulled Tony against him again in another thrust and Tony groaned. This was too much, he needed more, needed everything Jethro could give him. He let the older man go and unbuttoned his own jeans, then reached forward and pulled Jethro's boxers down, freeing his erection. Both men were on fire, burning fast and bright. Tony pulled Jethro against him so that they were pressed against one another, the friction making it almost impossible to breathe. He whispered in his lover's ear, unable to breathe deeply enough to find his full voice. "I'm not going anywhere. I need you, in my life, in me. Please."

Tony was suddenly turned face down on the table in the middle of the room and he groaned deeply, trying not to come already at the way Jethro had his body pressed along the length of his backside.

Jethro pressed heavily on Tony, possessively. He brought his mouth next to his lover's ear. "You're mine, Tony. You're not going anywhere."

"I don't want to. I need you, please Jethro."

Tony cried out as Jethro plunged into him unceremoniously, his leaking pre-cum just enough lubrication to make it possible.

"FUCK YES!" Tony cried out, feeling Jethro bottom out deep inside of him. He quivered and reached across the table, grasping the edges as Jethro plunged into him over and over again, his hands on Tony's lower back. They both moaned and gasped with each thrust, feeling every slight movement of Jethro's cock as it buried itself time and time again into his lover, taking what he needed from him.

Tony reveled in the loss of control, knowing that Jethro was holding nothing back. He wanted nothing less from him and gave himself over to his lover's reckless abandon. It was intense, powerful, fiery and had him waiting on the edge. Jethro's angle was perfect, hitting his prostate over and over again, making him see stars against the pain that accompanied the raw fucking, and heightening the sensation in a way he had never experienced.

When he felt his lover's nails digging into his back suddenly and scraping down his ass, he knew he was about to be filled with Jethro's release. One final thrust from Jethro, and one final groan from Tony, then Jethro howled and came.

Jethro pulled out of Tony and leaned against the table, his hands grasping the edge as he tried to stay on his feet, his head swimming in a beautiful fog. Tony stood up, aching and throbbing for release. He came to stand behind Jethro, his fingers running down Jethro's back, making him shiver. He wrapped his hands around his waist, his cock pressing against his lover's ass, letting him know exactly what he wanted.

Jethro nodded through the fog and leaned heavily on the table. Tony was leaking copious amounts of pre-cum by this point. He separated Jethro's butt cheeks and rubbed his head against his tight hole, smearing the thick liquid and then, very slowly, pushed himself in. He knew Jethro was still lost in his post-orgasm bliss when the only reaction to his non-prepped entry was the tightening of the ring of muscle around his cock. Tony slid in gently, his arms coming back around Jethro's waist as he began moving slowly in and out of him. Jethro was so tight around him that Tony could barely breathe. It felt so good and soon there was no controlling his thrusts. Jethro ended up in the same position Tony had been, face down on the table, hanging on for dear life as his partner fucked him mercilessly.

Tony knew that his lover was coming back around when he started hearing his moans and shouts of, "God yes, Tony, please, harder, please!" Tony pulled out as far as he could without completely leaving his lover's body and then plunged back into him, over and over again as hard as he could. Jethro's head came up off the table and he growled loudly. "Fuck me! Oh, God, yes! Fuck me! Feels so damn good!"

Tony started growling, letting go completely to a beast he didn't know was pacing within him, and began pulling Jethro back against him with each thrust, crushing his balls against Jethro's ass and his own thigh. Another minute of panting and thrusting and he yelled at the top of his lungs, his release breaking like a tidal wave. He collapsed down onto his lover, pressing him against the table.

Jethro reached back and took Tony's hand from his hip, placing it on his cock, hard again from the brutal way Tony had just taken him. Tony licked his lips through the haze and began stroking his lover while still pinning him to the table by his upper back. He moved with slow, lazy motions as he drifted through the fog of his orgasm. Jethro began thrusting into his grasp, begging for more. Tony's fog slowly lifted and he stroked harder, enjoying the vision of Jethro pinned beneath him on the table, unable to move.

The strokes became harder and faster, and after only a few minutes, Jethro was screaming out a second release. Tony began kissing his way down Jethro's back as he tried to stand up. His head swam, lightheaded with pleasure. He found his feet and finally pulled out of his lover. He helped a groaning Jethro to his feet and wrapped him in his arms, feeling strong arms come around his waist as Jethro's head made its way back to his shoulder. They held on to each other for a long time before Jethro finally stepped back and took Tony's hand, leading him to the steps and then to the bathroom to clean up.

They stepped into the shower and held each other, swapping long, slow, wet kisses. The water was hot and comforting against their raw bodies. The kissing went on for a long time, simply conveying love, trust and a need to be close. When they finally broke apart, their foreheads falling together, Jethro's voice, rough and cracked, choked out an honest, "I love you."

Tony clung to his partner, pulling him close against his body. "I love you, too, Jethro. I've loved you for so long, and I'll love you for the rest of my life."


	14. Chapter 14

Tim was at Abby's door, knocking gently, hoping that he wasn't waking her up. He knew that she had been up late the night before with the case, just like the rest of the team, but he hadn't been able to sleep. He finally had gotten up at 0630, showered, dressed and decided to head over and see if Abby wanted to get breakfast.

Abby came to the door, hair down and tousled. McGee couldn't help but smile broadly at her when she opened the door with a sleepy grin. "Hey Timmy!" She answered with a drowsy version of her usual pep, and McGee felt a calming warmth rush from his head to his toes.

"Hey Abs," he said as he drifted into her apartment, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in for a small kiss. She fell against him, arms around his neck, obviously still not fully awake.

"What's up?" she said into his ear, not letting him go.

"Couldn't sleep. Thought you might want to go get breakfast with me." He buried his face into her hair by her neck as he talked, breathing her in.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" she asked in her half-daze.

"Not sure really, just restless." Tim found himself melting into the embrace, every bit of his nerves suddenly coming to a screeching halt. She felt so right in his arms, and he knew that he could stand there holding her all day, just like that, and be extremely happy. He smiled to himself and his hands found their way to her rear, picking her up. Abby giggled in his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He led her to the couch, where he dropped down so that Abby now sat in his lap, still wrapped around him.

She nuzzled against him, curling up in his arms. He pulled the throw blanket down from the back of the couch, and wrapped the black, pink and white skull print fleece around them both. Abby felt herself being pulled down into the comfort Tim offered her, and fell asleep again almost immediately. Tim watched her doze, a sappy smile on his face, and thought about what Tony had said the night before.

_Enjoy what you have. How could I do anything but enjoy it when I've got Abby in my arms, sleeping safely, looking more beautiful than ever?_

It wasn't long before Tim fell into the most comfortable sleep of his entire life.

* * *

After showering and finding clean clothes to put on, Tony and Gibbs found themselves on the couch with a couple of beers. They each had one arm on the back of the couch, casually petting one another's arms, sitting closer than necessary, yet not as close as they wanted. They knew that what they had to talk about was too important for them to interrupt with their roaming hands.

"So, when is your lease up?" Gibbs started, jumping right into things.

Tony smiled broadly at him. "End of May." Tony watched Jethro's shoulders tense and his expression fall a bit before adding, "But, I don't plan on waiting that long."

Tony's eyes were dancing when Jethro looked up into them. Jethro felt a rush of relief come over him and exhaled. Tony was really on board with it all, and Jethro had to admit he was a little surprised. He was pretty sure that Tony had never lived with another adult outside of college and his time afloat. He thought that he would have doubts, second guess his decision, and try to back out a dozen times before going through with the move. Gibbs felt like the needy, clingy one in this relationship, and when he took a step back and really looked at things, he realized he kind of was. He took a deep breath and resolved to trust his lover.

"When were you thinking?" He met Tony's eyes and felt the smile creep onto his lips.

"I've been thinking about a lot of things. If I moved in this week, we could tell people it's because the heat kept going out in my building, and I got fed up with it. Then I could just conveniently never leave." Tony smiled at Jethro as he chuckled. "Then I thought, well, that might not fly for too long. If I moved in over the next couple of weeks, bit by bit, it could give us time to figure out how to tell the team, because you know we can't hide it from them if we're living together. Abby is over at least once a month for a movie night, and Ziva has on occasion stopped by for a run when she needs to talk. Oh! I told Tim last night, and he's really happy for us." Tony gave a smile that oozed excitement, bouncing just a little on the couch before settling back down, making Gibbs grin at him.

"He's a good kid." Gibbs said, nodding a little as he imagined McGee's reaction.

"Actually, he hasn't been acting too much like a kid lately. He really stepped up with the Holdales. It was good to see. He's getting more comfortable at talking with the families, and he's not at all bad at it. I can see why he passed up the Okinawa lead. He needs the field work side of things." Tony shrugged like it was nothing to talk about the probie with praise, but Gibbs searched his face, looking for signs of regret. Tony wasn't talking like an SFA, he was talking like a lead, and Gibbs knew that no matter what Tony wanted, he should have moved up the chain a long time ago. He tried not to think about it, and moved the conversation along.

"So, you think we should tell the team?" Gibbs' jaw clenched, not sure which way he wanted Tony to answer. Part of him wanted Tony to say yes, that he wanted the team to share in their joy, but the other side was afraid of what would happen if they told their team and somehow it got out. Their jobs meant too much to the both of them to let things get out prematurely.

"Well, I wasn't sure. It's kind of dangerous to be outed at work, for multiple reasons. But… then, Ziva confided in me yesterday about what was eating her, and told me last night that she had noticed that I had changed this week. It made me feel pretty bad that I hadn't told her yet. However, I can't tell her if I don't tell Abby, and if we tell Abby… well, the whole Navy Yard will know by the end of the day that she slips up, and we both know she will. I think we need to think about it a bit, see if we can find a way to make this all work out a little prettier than it sits right now." Tony laid the cards out on the table as he saw them.

"Yeah, it's a sticky situation. So, what was wrong with Ziva?" Gibbs asked, trying not to pry, but curiously concerned.

"Eh, I don't think she'd appreciate me sharing. She's fine now though." Tony said, and then took a drink of his beer.

Gibbs let it go. He would never push for Tony to betray Ziva's trust. It had taken her too long to be willing to give it to someone, and for the two of them, it had had to be re-earned to be as strong as it is now. He wouldn't let anyone come between them again, and he sure as hell wasn't going to ask to be the one he broke her confidence to. "Gotcha. So, we think about this, and then we revisit it in a couple of days."

"Sounds like the plan. Meanwhile, I might start sneaking things in, if you don't mind." Tony said with a playfully sheepish smile.

"I'd like that. What were you thinking?" Gibbs asked, moving closer to Tony and pulling him against him so that Tony's head was on his shoulder. Tony snuggled into the older man and breathed deeply, inhaling the relaxing smell of coffee and saw dust.

"That depends. How much room do I get in your closet?" Tony chuckled and felt his head bob up and down on Gibbs' chest as the older man laughed as well.

"Let's start with half. There's always the closet in the guest bedroom." Gibbs tensed for a moment and his arms tightened around Tony, remembering Jack's visit.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked, sensing the change immediately and turning his head to look up at Gibbs' face.

Gibbs took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "My dad is coming to visit next month."

Tony felt the tension spread from Gibbs to his own muscles. "Do you think he's going to have a problem with us?" he asked slowly.

"I honestly have no clue. We've never talked about anything like this. I don't think he would. He's actually pretty open-minded despite his age, the small-town life, and all that, but I've never felt like I could tell him that I don't just enjoy women." He shrugged a little bit, looking at Tony's expression.

Tony couldn't believe the sudden uncertainty in Gibbs' eyes. He had never seen them look that way. It was as if he was a teenage kid, afraid that his father wasn't going to approve of him and kick him out of the house. It tugged at Tony's heart. He knew that Gibbs was just getting back on track with his dad, and Tony hated the idea of coming between them. He had watched Gibbs and his dad together, and even in the short time they had been reconciling, they obviously had a better relationship than he would _ever_ have with his own father.

"Do you want me to stay at my apartment that week?" Tony asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer. If Gibbs said "yes", he would feel hurt, but understand. If he said "no", he would be anxious as all hell the entire week before Jack's arrival, but feel loved.

"Hell no! I want you right here. With me. Where you belong. Forever. Got it?" Tony felt the smile stretch across his face and he buried his head in Jethro's neck with a kiss, breathing him in and settling down to snuggle for a while.

"I got it, Jethro. I'm right where I want to be."

Jethro wrapped his arms as tightly around Tony as he could without hurting him, and dropped a kiss to his head. It was strangely sweet, and Tony battled only a moment with himself before deciding that he even liked "sweet-Gibbs" -at least in small doses.

"Good." Jethro said softly. After they laid there for a long time, just enjoying the feel of one another, he finally broke the silence. "Wanna go get some of your stuff?"

Tony burst out laughing and sat up, pulling Jethro's face to his for a kiss. Then he stood up, taking Jethro's hand and led him towards the door. Jethro laughed and Tony felt it echo somewhere inside of him. It was his favorite sound in the entire world by now, and it was infectious. Tony couldn't hear it without being happy, and the fact that he was what caused it made him feel like he could do anything.

They both slipped their coats on and then realized they didn't have keys or phones with them. They went in two different directions, Tony to get their keys from the bedroom, and Jethro to get their cells from the coffee table in the living room. Jethro looked at the half pot of coffee waiting still in the kitchen, and grabbed two cups, pouring the rest into them and dumping sugar and milk into Tony's.

Tony walked in with Jethro's phone in his hand, holding it out for the man as he received a cup of coffee in return. He stole a quick kiss and then took Jethro's hand once more, leading him out of the house this time, and towards the truck in the driveway. He slipped into his car to pull it out of the driveway and let Jethro out, then joined him in the truck.

Tony sipped at his coffee and made a small, satisfied mmm sound. He suddenly remembered the day that Jethro had ordered his coffee for him the way he liked it from the cart barista in front of work. He turned his smiled towards the man behind the wheel. "So, got a question for you. It's confession time."

Gibbs looked at Tony, and upon seeing the smile and the twinkle in his eyes, he relaxed. He knew he would confess anything to his lover at this point, and also knew how scary and dangerous that carried the potential for being. "You gonna ask?" he finally prodded.

"Why would you never order my coffee the way I liked it, when you obviously know just what I take in it?" Tony's head tilted a little to the side, watching Jethro's face as he waited for his answer. Jethro almost looked shy for a moment, and Tony felt that now familiar giddy feeling run up his spine.

"I didn't want you to know that I had been paying such close attention, when I hadn't been paying that much attention to how McGee and Ziva take theirs. I knew it would give away the fact that I can't help but stare at you, and watch you, and think about you…" Gibbs smiled, reaching out for Tony's hand. He couldn't believe he was openly, and gladly, admitting all of this to the younger man. Then again, he couldn't believe that he was on the way to get some of Tony's things from his apartment so he could start moving Tony into his house either. He felt like he could glow if he got any happier, and he didn't give a damn who knew it right then.

Tony was beaming at him. "That's actually the sweetest _and_ creepiest thing anyone has ever said to me. I like it!" Tony's hand was immediately left bereft while the back of his head made contact with Jethro's palm, but laughter filled the cab of the truck.

"You're lucky I love you." Jethro said, attempting to sound gruff.

"Very lucky. Extremely lucky." Tony said happily, but with a touch of seriousness to it that made Jethro turn to smile at him again. Their hands found each other, and folded around one another until they got to Tony's apartment.

As they made their way into the freezing living room, Jethro growled, which made Tony groan, knowing the comment and lecture were soon coming.

"I'm starting to think you had the right idea with the heating problem story. We should try to make it work." Gibbs gave him a pointed look before heading into Tony's bedroom. Tony looked around the kitchen, making a mental note of a couple of things that he wanted to take with him. He took a deep breath and moved into the bedroom, following Gibbs. He hated packing to move, but he knew this would be the last move he made for decades, and it was good. He wasn't moving to get away from something; this time he was moving towards something- home.

Tony smiled as he watched Gibbs stand in front of his open closet, scratching the back of his head. Tony moved behind the man, putting his arms around his firm stomach and waist.

Gibbs smiled and leaned back into the touch. "You know, I don't know why you need all of the fancy duds. I like you best when you're dressed like this, comfortably." Gibbs voice was low and almost flirty.

Tony chuckled quietly in his ear, and then with a voice just as low, corrected him. "You love me best when I'm naked."

Gibbs turned around so that he faced Tony's dilating green eyes, and suddenly felt warmer. "That's probably true. The best part though," Gibbs whispered into Tony's ear, letting his lips barely graze it, "Is that there's nothing for you to hide behind. I love you best when it's just you," Gibbs half kissed, half bit Tony's neck, "and me," placing another nip-kiss on the younger man's jaw making his breath hitch, "and the naked, genuine, honest way that you look at me, letting me know that we are meant to be here, together, and that nothing could ever come between us." Gibbs pulled back and stared back into the sparkling green eyes as their lids fluttered open. Tony suddenly took in a sharp breath, realizing that he had forgotten to breathe. Gibbs took advantage of the slightly parted lips, and attacked them with a kiss that required pushing Tony backwards towards the bed.

The chill of the heatless apartment was soon forgotten as both men's hands wandered over the other's bodies, setting fire to every inch of skin they touched. Shirts were shed and soon, two pairs of jeans hit the floor. Tony's slick tongue traced Jethro's jaw and neck, down to the tender junction at his shoulder, where he bit down, not too gently, causing Jethro to growl involuntarily. Jethro's hands tightened around Tony's waist and pulled him against his own groin. They both gasped at the sudden friction, and then Tony's nails found their way into Jethro's back, running up and over his shoulders as he fell backwards onto the bed, pulling the older man down onto him, meeting his lips in a hungry, lust-filled kiss.

Jethro broke away and began kissing his way down Tony's neck and chest, taking a moment to lick and then nibble on Tony's sensitive nipples. He ran his fingers along Tony's muscles, enjoying the firmness. He loved the way his lover twitched at the gentle caresses, eliciting soft noises and an "Oh, shit!" as teasing fingers skittered lower, tracing a pattern on his groin, around his hard cock. Tony's hips tried to thrust up off the bed, but Jethro's hands were quicker, pushing him back down, chewing on his lower lip as he watched Tony struggle.

His hand found its way to the base of Tony's dick, and gave it a slow stroke up before descending to lick around the head, lapping up a bit of pre-cum and groaning. "God, you taste so good," Jethro said lowly while Tony laid there panting. "I could suck on you for hours."

Tony groaned loudly as Jethro's mouth found its way back around Tony, engulfing him with one quick swallow, all the way to the base.

Tony yelled out in pleasure, and Jethro's hand pushed down on his hip to keep him steady. Jethro smiled around Tony's cock as he listened to him whimpering. He pressed his tongue hard against the vein along the bottom as he lifted his head, bobbing over and over again, hollowing his cheeks and sucking in just the right rhythm to make Tony squirm and beg.

"Oh, God, yes, please Jethro… please… just… God, never stop… never…" Tony panted. Jethro felt Tony's hand on his head, then felt his short hair pulled gently by tense fingers. It urged him on, loving the fact that he could give the younger man such pleasure. He sped up until he heard Tony's voice cracking amongst his mumbling, and then slowed down, drawing out the release. Tony groaned so low that Jethro could feel it vibrating in his fingers, buried in Tony's hip. It was extremely erotic and he found himself needing his own release, so he worked quickly to bring Tony back around. Just a minute or so later, Tony's whole body tensed, and Jethro descended deeply on him, letting him empty into his throat, pulling back just enough to get a mouthful of the sticky fluid. He swallowed, running his tongue along his teeth to make sure he got as much as possible down before he kissed Tony again. He lay across his lover's body, his lips gently planting kisses along the way up to Tony's mouth, then kissed him deeply. Tony's hands went behind his head clumsily and pulled him down on him.

"Would you like me to return the favor, or would you prefer to fuck me? Your choice," he mumbled, somehow still managing to sound so sexy that it made Jethro's cock twitch.

"Mmmmm…" Jethro murmured. "Both extremely tempting, but I think I want something a little different."

Tony's eyes slowly opened, full of curious interest. "What would that be?"

Jethro straddled him, taking Tony's hand and placing in on his achingly hard member. "I want you to jerk me off, so that I can watch myself come all over you."

Tony groaned, biting his lower lip hard. He remembered last weekend, and the older man's reaction to his cum covered body. He had never seen anyone have that kind of response to their cum on him, but he was all for causing it again. His hand began stroking Jethro slowly. "You really do like that don't you? Marking me as yours. You've done it with your mouth, with your dick… You just like proving that I'm yours, and only yours." Tony earned a loud feral growl from the man that knelt over him, and then Jethro began thrusting into Tony's pumping hand.

"You _are_ mine!" he growled out in a yell. "Only mine! And everyone needs to know that!"

Tony slipped his thumb over the sensitive, swollen head of Jethro's penis, causing him to jerk back and thrust hard into Tony's talented hand. Tony watched Jethro's face intently as the passion grew, causing his cheeks to flush bright red. Jethro's eyes struggled not to close, watching Tony's face, green eyes smoldering. Tony stroked faster and harder as he egged him on. "I'm yours Jethro, only yours. No one else can have me. They're going to want me, and I'll probably get asked out from time to time, but in the end, I'm coming home to you, and only you, because no one can compete with your blue eyes, your incredible body, and this amazing cock."

With that, Jethro's head jerked back, his body stiffened and his dick swelled in Tony's hand, shooting strings of white liquid all over Tony's stomach, chest and neck. Jethro fought the haze to open his eyes and watch himself defile Tony's gorgeous body, feeling the primal satisfaction of marking him. It made his heart race and his tongue flick out and wet his lips. Tony sat up and leaned forward, letting his own tongue gently graze the head of Jethro's cock, licking a thick line of cum that hung off the tip. He smeared it on his lips with his tongue for a moment, eyes closed, lost in the sensation of being coated in Jethro's essence before licking them again, cleaning them. Tony heard a helpless moan from the man above him, and a moment later, Jethro's lips were on his, tongue thrusting into his mouth as Jethro tried to find evidence of himself left there.

When they finally broke the kiss, Jethro laid down next to Tony, panting and staring at the glistening liquid that coated his lover's torso. He memorized how Tony looked like that, knowing he would one day use the image to get him through some stressful situation as a form of distraction.

Tony's fingers began slowly running through the liquid, making an even bigger mess. Jethro's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes momentarily flicked to Tony's cock and back, noticing just how hard he was already. Tony's mouth was suddenly by Jethro's ear, whispering seductively. "You know what I want, Jethro? I want to take your delicious cum, and use it to lube my cock, and fuck you senseless."

A shudder ran through Jethro's body so hard that he shook violently.

"I"ll take that as a "yes". Tony's hand gently pushed Jethro back onto the bed so that he could straddle him. He dipped two fingers into a particularly large glob and then gently circled Jethro's sphincter, making him relax. Tony still didn't know if the relaxation was Jethro's natural reaction to someone playing with him, or if it was just relief, or if possibly, it was just that he trusted Tony enough to give himself up completely to him. He tried to make a mental note to ask, but as his fingers pushed into the older man, he felt himself pulled in by the welcoming muscles, and his mind focused back to the erotic task at hand.

He gently pumped the two fingers in and out of him, feeling them sliding further and further apart as Jethro really began to open up for him. He reached deep into his lover, and brushed his prostate, making Jethro's body jerk up off of the bed. He did it one more time and then pulled his fingers out, causing whimpering sounds below him. Tony realized that Jethro's eyes hadn't left his cum-drenched body, and made a show of gathering the liquid into his hand, then stroking himself to smear it on like lube. He felt the bed shake a moment underneath him as Jethro shivered again, and then lined up the head of his erection with the warm, inviting ring of muscle waiting for him.

He slid in gently, but when he bottomed out, aiming directly for Jethro's prostate and finding it, he knew he wasn't going to last very long. He tried to start with slow strokes, but it was soon too much and he began fucking Jethro's ass in earnest, reaching forward to stroke the other man's cock in time with the thrusts, bringing them both as close as possible to the edge before stopping completely, freezing for a moment. He swallowed hard and Gibbs realized that this was payback for bringing Tony so close to the brink while sucking him off earlier.

"Please, Tony. Don't stop. Just… please, move. Me, you, something… move something…" Gibbs gasped out, his face contorted in desperation.

That was all that Tony needed; to hear Jethro beg him for release. He plunged deeply into his ass, hitting his prostate, making the man explode all over them again. Tony began fucking him hard and fast, hitting that sweet spot over and over again, making Jethro yell through his orgasm. He kept his thrusts going through the intense tightening of Jethro's anus, and bit back the wave of pleasure that threatened to release itself on him. He felt Jethro's body go completely lax and that's when he finally gave a few more heavy thrusts, and came into his lover so deeply that his balls were smashed against his butt-cheeks. He collapsed onto Jethro's chest, and felt an arm come around him before he blacked out.

* * *

Tim woke up to Abby gently kissing his cheek, and trying to climb out of his arms. He tightened the embrace around her and felt her meld back into him. As he awoke more fully, he realized how badly he had to pee. It was warm and snuggly under the fleece blanket though, and Tim fought the need to get up with everything in him.

"Wakey, wakey sleepy head." Abby said gently, nuzzling him. "It's already after noon."

"Hmm? What? When did that happen?" Tim asked, startled suddenly by the way the light in the room definitely shone with that color of a winter afternoon.

"When we were sleeping. Still hungry?" Abby asked, suppressing a yawn.

"Yeah." Tim said, looking down at the woman in his arms. "I think I am." He bent to kiss her, nibbling on her lips.

Abby giggled and pulled back. "Not for me, though I like your thinking, Timmy! I meant for some lunch. Hold that thought, though. We'll come back to it. Soon."

Tim smiled as Abby got to her feet and headed for the bedroom to gather herself for a shower. He thought about Tony and Gibbs and wondered if they were as happy as he was with Abby. He imagined they were, otherwise they wouldn't be trying to have a relationship with all of the things that could and probably would go wrong along the way. He suddenly realized just how badly he wanted them to last. He knew that if they could do it, he and Abby could do it. He got to his feet and stretched, trying to smooth out some of the wrinkles he had developed in his shirt while they slept, but finally opted to take it off and go in hunt of the sweatshirt he had left here the other night for Abby to sleep in. He found it hanging over the back of the chair in Abby's room and slipped it on. It smelled of her and he found himself a little surprised. She must have been wearing it off and on all week in order to transfer the scent. He decided that when he left, he would leave it for her. _She'll like that,_ he thought and then headed back to the living room to wait, a large smile on his face.

* * *

Gibbs woke up freezing. He snuggled against the firm body next to him, and tried to pull the blankets from where they were lodged under them. It wasn't working. He tried to lift his head and groaned. It was already going on 1700. The darkness was settling outside and he knew that they had slept much more of the day away than they should have. He saw the peaceful look on his lover's face though, and laid back down to stare at him.

He knew that Tony had a really stressful weekend. The sleep was well deserved. He decided he was going to grab a shower, and wait to wake Tony up until he got out. He slipped out of his embrace and then out of the bed. He folded the comforter over the sleeping brunette, and watched as he snuggled into it in his sleep. He felt the light smile part his lips, and remembered so many times that Tony had fallen asleep at his desk in the middle of the night after coming in to work on something, and before he had left, he had taken Tony's jacket, coat or sweatshirt off of its hook and draped it over him.

He shook his head and headed for the shower, turning the water to as hot as he could handle it before stepping into the spray. He let it warm him up, seeping deep into him. He leaned forward, putting his hands on the wall to allow the water to hit his neck and shoulders, running down his back.

Tony came to stand in the doorway, and took the sight in, feeling much more alert immediately. He bit his lip as he watched Gibbs lean against the wall, trying not to make a sound as his breathing picked up pace. Jethro's silver hair was plastered to his head, shining, drenched. His shoulders stayed straight but looked relaxed despite it. When the heat of the water began warming him, a slight chill went up Jethro's back and Tony watched the muscles ripple all the way up around his spine. Tony repressed yet another moan and watched as the water ran down Jethro's skin, making him glisten until the steam fogged up the glass doors. Tony closed the door quietly behind him to trap in the steam and then slid the shower door open. He noted the smile that came across his man's face as he stepped in, despite not turning to greet him. Tony slid his arms around Jethro's waist and began softly kissing his upper back and neck.

"Miss me already?" Jethro asked in a hushed voice and a light chuckle shook him.

"Yes." Tony said the next time he lifted his lips from Jethro's shoulder. "You (kiss) got (kiss) out of (kiss) bed without me (kiss). Don't like (kiss) that (kiss)."

"Mmmm…" Jethro said into the kisses. "You just looked so peaceful. Couldn't do it."

Tony rested his chin on Jethro's shoulder, letting the warm water defrost him as well. He could feel them sticking together slightly as the residue on his stomach and chest was reconstituted. He rubbed his body against the one in front of him briefly, letting Jethro know that he was prepared for more than a shower if the older man was up for it. The soft moan that resonated through them both confirmed that they were on the same page.

Tony's fingers started running over Jethro's abs and chest, trying to keep himself from biting down on the shoulder in front of him. Things had been so frantic for them. All weekend, he had felt like he had to rush, take things quickly in case something happened with a case or the op that would interrupt them. He wanted to slow down, enjoy this. He nibbled gently at Jethro's neck instead, letting his hands caress everything he could reach. When his hands dipped down to Jethro's groin, he teased him, running his fingers along his inner thighs. He could hear Jethro's breath hitch in his throat and smiled against his skin as he kissed his way back down his neck to his shoulders and back, then back up. His lips close to Jethro's ear, he whispered loud enough to be heard over the rushing water, "What do you want?"

Jethro growled and without a word, took Tony's hand from around his waist and placed it on his cock. Tony gladly obliged, letting himself feel the weight of his lover in his hand as he stroked over the veins and ridges of the smooth flesh. As his fingers grazed over the tip, he whispered roughly in the ear again. "Is that it? That what you want? My hand, stroking your hard dick, enjoying every way you let me touch you?" He thrust his hard member against Jethro's backside, letting him feel the effect that he was having on him. Another moan, this time louder and open-mouthed came from the man he was stroking.

Jethro turned suddenly to face Tony, pulling him in for a heated kiss. Their tongues slid around each other immediately as Tony's hand kept its rhythm, and Jethro thrust against him, joining in the motion. After a long moment of being lip-locked, Jethro's hand reached down to take Tony's cock in its sure grasp. Tony gasped into their kiss, and his head fell to Jethro's shoulder. Their mouths latched onto one another's necks with sweet suckling as they stroked. It was tender, but fervent. The strokes became faster, and their lips eventually found one another again, trying to kiss as they panted into one another.

"Come for me, Tony?" Jethro asked, and Tony heard the plea through his entire body. His eyes locked onto Jethro's and he saw the need there. It was an incredible vision, taking his breath away. He felt his whole body tense and he came, falling into the hard body against him. Jethro thrust into Tony's hand, still wrapped around him, a few more times and then threw his head back, groaning and gasping in his release. The water ran warmly down their bodies, washing away the sticky mess between them, but neither man felt it anymore. The only thing they could feel was the shivering bliss and tingle of their orgasms as they tried not to fall down into the tub.

* * *

Abby and Tim sat at a booth in a diner that Abby had always loved. It had a retro, checkered floor and red booths. Tim thought to himself that she looked right at home there in her white tee with lines of tiny skulls making stripes across her chest, and her bright red lipstick. He reached across the table and took her hand as she read the menu. He already knew what he wanted, but she was having a hard time deciding. He waited patiently for her to make up her mind; that was his specialty after all.

The waitress came over and smiled at their joined hands. She wasn't even old enough to drink yet, and the pep in her step announced her youth even more. "Have you guys decided yet?" Her voice was sweet, and not at all pushy. Tim barely glanced at her before he met Abby's eyes again.

"I think so," she said. "Do you know if you use peanut oil to deep fry your onion rings or vegetable oil?" She looked up at the girl whose expression had just gone from peppy to lost in a quick second.

"Um, I'm not sure. Let me go ask."

Abby looked over the menu at Tim's smirk. "What?" She asked. "I don't like the way onion rings taste if they're cooked in peanut oil or soy bean oil. I mean, I'm usually totally down with the healthier alternatives, you know, but onion rings have to be cooked in vegetable oil. If I'm going to have something that horrible for me, it better be cooked right."

Tim chuckled at her and nodded. "Got it. So, no onion rings from that vegetarian place you like?"

Abby smiled at him. "Nope. They do just about everything in soybean oil."

"I'll remember that." Tim said, his voice soft as he stared into Abby's grey-green eyes.

"I bet you will." Abby said, squeezing his hand.

The waitress returned and confirmed the onion rings as safe. Tim ordered his lunch as well and they settled down to chat while they waited for their food. Abby was sipping a cherry lemonade, and Tim blew on some hot chocolate.

"So, have you talked to Tony lately?" Abby asked. Tim looked up and tried not to blush.

"You mean, about this mysterious person he's seeing?" Tim asked, managing to keep his cool better than he thought he'd be able to.

"Yes! What do you know? He seems really into- it." Abby caught herself and her eyes got wide for a moment.

"What has he told you? You obviously just stopped yourself there, Abs. You know something." Tim eyed her playfully, happy to put the suspicion on the other side of the table.

"I can't tell you. I promised him." She gave him those eyes that said _, Please don't make me, Timmy_ , and Tim smiled.

"Then I won't tell you what he's told me either." Tim joked and stirred his cocoa again.

"Wait, so he has told you something? Is it the same thing he's told me? Wait, you wouldn't know that, would you. Crap. He's a genius mastermind at getting us tangled up, and he doesn't even know it! That little…" Abby was interrupted by the waitress setting their food down on the table.

"Thanks," they both said to her.

A few minutes later, Abby looked across the table, her eyes squinting at Tim. "I don't think he told you what he told me. There is no way you would have been able to keep quiet about it after everything he's ever said to you."

Tim sighed. He knew this game well, had been roped into it many times. "Abby, I'm not telling you what little I know. You probably know much more than me. He confides in you, not me. If you want to know what he's told me, ask him, and then talk to me. All I can tell you for sure, is that he's happy, he's serious about whoever this one is, and we WILL NOT do anything to interfere." He gave her a stern look over his mug, and saw Abby sulk.

He started again with a somewhat lighter tone. "Come on Abs. He's finally happy. Do you really want us to be what screws it up for him? Let him have his joy. He deserves what we have." He smiled at her and reached out for her hand again. She rolled her eyes, but the smile that lit up her face told him that she wasn't mad at him. Her hand made its way into his and squeezed.

"Fine." She took another bite of an onion ring, chewed and swallowed. Her eyes lit up though with even more mischief and Tim knew he was in trouble. That look was never good. "What about Gibbs? Is it just me, or has he been, like, extreeeeemely happy lately? Any sign of a new redhead?"

Tim tossed his head back and groaned. "Abby!" he snapped.

"Oh, you so know something. You'd better start spilling buster!"

"I don't know anything! All I can tell you, again, is he that seems happy, and butting in is not going to help the situation, but it very well may hinder it. If he is seeing someone, and it ends up being serious, he's going to let you know. Again, you're his favorite, not me. The day he tells me about his love life before you, is a day that hell freezes over and Tony gives up sex."

Abby giggled again. "Alright, alright. But it's not just me, right? I mean, he totally looks happy!"

Tim conceded the point. "Yes, Abs, we all have the same suspicion."

"How awesome is that? Both Tony and Gibbs finding someone at the same time? Totally out of this world." Tim smiled at his cocoa, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him.

"I know. I haven't been glued to anything or yelled at all week. Gibbs even left early last night. Tony has been in charge all weekend, and Gibbs was in MTAC doing stuff. Ziva and I were filling out our reports, and Gibbs came down, got his stuff, and left in a hurry. Didn't even wait around to ask Tony what was going on with the case. I think he had a date. Tony had to take care of it all by himself last night."

"Wow. Gibbs blew Tony off for a date? She must be something special!" Abby said, mouth half full of onion ring. "I really hope it's not another redhead. They are nothing but trouble for him."

"Well, Colonel Mann wasn't any better. Not a redhead." Tim said, gesturing with a pickle wedge.

"Whoever this is that's got him so happy, I really hope he brings her around. I want to meet her. I want him to be happy, but she has to meet my approval first." Abby slurped on her drink.

"If he's happy, isn't that enough?" Tim asked. "Or is this a fear of the evil step-mother kind of thing?"

"I don't care how happy she makes him- I am _not_ Cinderella."

Tim laughed. "I doubt you have anything to worry about Abs. Gibbs would never approve of anyone who couldn't handle how much he loves his team, especially you. And Tony. I think he could handle if she were evil to Ziva and me, but if one of you guys were scorned, I'm pretty sure she'd be gone." Tim felt bad for lying to her, but he had a promise to keep. She never had to know that he knew anyway, right?

* * *

Tony was zipping up his suit bags, leaving a spare change of clothes in his closet and his dresser. He laughed at the irony of having to keep spare clothes in his own place, but he smiled at the knowledge that this wasn't his place anymore. Jethro's house was his place now. It was his home.

He sighed deeply as he felt Jethro's arm come around his waist, holding him from behind. "Whatcha thinking?" he asked into his hear.

"Just how happy I am, how happy you make me." Tony leaned back against the man behind him.

"You make me happy, too, Tony. I can't believe that you're moving in with me. I can't believe we're going to be a real family."

Tony felt himself tense at the "F" word. _Family. Wow. We're going to be a family._ He felt Jethro tense behind him, knowing he had felt the momentary freeze. Tony turned in his arms and smiled, looking deep into the shining blue eyes that were scanning his face.

"Family. I… family. I really like the sound of that." Tony watched as Jethro's worry disappeared, melting into a bright smile.

"I do too." Their lips met in a short, tender kiss. "Let's get your things and go home." Gibbs kissed him quickly on the cheek and pulled away.

The truck was already loaded with an assortment of bags and boxes. Tony's sheets and towels were coming with them, as well as most of his clothing. There was a laundry basket full of stuff from the bathroom, including multiple hair care products and body washes. Gibbs had shaken his head in amusement as he packed it all in. They took a couple of bags worth of stuff from the kitchen, too. There was cereal, coffee, creamer, cereal bars, some frozen homemade lasagna and an assortment of bottled beers.

They turned off the lights as they went through the apartment. Tony stopped by the door and ran across the room to his movie shelf. He looked through them before grabbing four DVDs, and made his way back over to the door. He put them into the basket in Jethro's arms, and watched the man roll his eyes, but saw the smile there. Tony smiled back and together, they locked up and headed for the truck.

* * *

Tim wasn't sure he had completely thwarted Abby's attempt to sniff out who Tony and Gibbs were seeing. He cringed at the idea on the way home and finally, his anxiety getting the best of him, turned around and headed for Gibbs' house.

He pulled up outside to see Tony and Gibbs heading into the house, bags and baskets in their hands. He had to smile to himself, thinking about their happiness. He had a really good feeling that one day, he and Abby would have the same kind of thing happening. It gave him butterflies as he lost himself in the daydream for a moment. He shook it off and got out of his car, heading for the door. He knew that normally, people just walked into Gibbs' house. He'd done it once or twice himself, but now that he knew what potentially could be happening on the other side, he decided to play it safe and knock.

Gibbs threw open the door, looking at Tim with a surprised half grin. "Hey McGee. Get in here."

"Didn't want to just barge in on anything." Tim said, trying to hide his smirk that bravely had appeared on his face.

"Hey McTim! What's up?" Tony said, heading into the living room from the kitchen, beer already in hand.

"Just spent the day with Abby, and thought I should give you guys a heads up. She's sniffing for clues." Tim headed towards the kitchen, following Gibbs and Tony. Tony grabbed a beer for both of the other men, and they sat at the table together.

"We knew she would." Gibbs said quietly, letting out a deep breath.

"Yeah, but if you're over here, she must really be sniffing. What was she saying?" Tony prodded.

"She asked me if I knew anything, even gave me the puppy dog eyes. I resisted! It was actually pretty easy to play off, but she had that… _look_. She isn't going to let it go. She was going to ask me to snoop with her, for her… but I cut her off. Told her to let you guys be happy, and that you'd come to her before me when it was time." Tim said, taking a long drink from his beer.

"She knows I'm seeing someone?" Gibbs asked the young man across from him.

"Yeah, but everyone thinks you're seeing someone. You aren't the best at hiding it, no offense Boss. If you're seeing someone, everyone knows."

Tony choked on his beer. "Man, Probie's growing a pair!" he joked joyfully. "Or maybe Abby just let him know where they are…"

Tim turned bright red and shook his head. "Shut up, Tony." he retorted, trying not to crawl into his beer bottle.

"It's true though, Jethro. I should have thought about that. I mean, there was the mystery red head…"

"Colonel Mann…" Tim joined in.

"Though it was never really clear… I'm thinking possibly even the evil lawyer…" Tony fired back, beer bottle almost to his lips.

"Oh, Allison Hart? I had money on that one." Tim said, despite the continuing flush on his face.

"Yeah, I did too." Tony said, finally taking a drink from his bottle.

"Okay! Okay! Enough! I get the picture. What do we do about it?" Gibbs asked, and Tony noticed that his ears were just a little pink. It made him beam at Tim and wink, turning back to Gibbs.

"You have to find a way to tell Abby to stop sniffing out the trail. She can focus on me, but if you somehow get her focused elsewhere, she won't put two and two together." Tony said matter-of-factly.

"And stay away from Tony. You guys are wayyy too happy around each other. The back and forth looks haven't gone unnoticed, and I can't imagine they have by others either. Not that Ziva and I don't love seeing both of you happy, and I am personally happy to see you guys happy _together_ , but you're going to get caught." Tim stopped and then wondered to himself why he was suddenly so comfortable talking in front of Gibbs. He had never been that comfortable with him before. _Maybe because here, right now, he's not just Boss…_ he thought. That's when it hit him just how much of a family they were becoming. Gibbs had suddenly gone from being "Boss" to his closest friend's partner, and practically his father-in-law, in less than two weeks. He sat his beer down and stared across the table at Tony and Gibbs as he considered that. He knew his face looked puzzled and concerned, but he wasn't sure how to hide it.

"Whatcha thinking, Probie?" Tony asked, trying to get inside the expression he saw passing across Tim's face.

"Just how weird it is to be sitting here, having this conversation. Not a bad weird… actually, it's weird because it's _good_. Does that make sense?" Tim said, beginning to peel his label without thinking about it.

"Yeah, it kinda does." Tony said.

"New chapter- for all of us." Gibbs said quietly. They sat in the silence for a moment, but it was light and comfortable.

"I think I'm going to like it." Tim said. "But we have to figure out how to keep it like this. We have to get Abby off the trail."

They sat there for another few minutes before Tony decided that they needed a plan. He was trying to think of schemes when Tim's cell vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out to see the text from Abby. She had found the sweatshirt back in her room and told him that she was wrapped up in it. He smiled and replied quickly.

_Keep it :):)_

That's when it dawned on him. "Oh, I got it."

"Hmm? What evil plan do you have hatching in there McGenius?" Tony said, raising his eyebrows and narrowing his eyes.

Gibbs watched him intently, waiting as well.

"We get both of you in her lab together, and then I text or call Tony, and he pretends like I'm this mysterious boyfriend that's not you." He said, looking at Gibbs through the majority of it, wondering what he thought of the plan.

Gibbs shrugged a bit. "Don't know how much I like the idea of being _that_ shady about it with Abs, but if that's what we have to do…" he trailed off.

"Well, I don't have to actually play it off like I'm talking to my fake boyfriend. I just have to act somewhat happier at the call, or change my attitude. It's not like Tim is going to call and I'm going to go, "Hey baby, what's shakin'?" and walk out of the room on you guys. I can just… I don't know, talk quieter and say "I have to call you back. Can't talk." Or something like that."

"I guess that could work." Gibbs said, shrugging again.

"We'll wait for the right moment, and try out the plan. If you get a text from me saying, Going into the lair, you know that it's time." He gave Tim an approving look, and Tim nodded back, a mischievous glint in his eye. He liked being part of an inside secret with the two Senior Agents. It felt as important as any undercover mission could be. He finished his beer, and after chatting for another fifteen minutes, he headed home, leaving Gibbs and Tony at the kitchen table.

"Well, that wasn't what I had planned to do with our night." Tony said quietly, taking a long drink from his bottle, while never taking his eyes off of Gibbs' blue eyes.

"Me neither, but at least now we have a plan of attack. Just when I thought we were done with ops for a while…" Gibbs gave Tony a sideways smile.

"Speaking of which, I had something I meant to ask you. Not to bring up a sore topic or anything, but where were your friends and that… _person,"_ Tony spat the word person out like a disease, "during the op?"

Gibbs smirked, enjoying Tony's jealousy. "Malek, Talia and Dina had given us everything they could. They're in hiding for a while. We wanted to make sure no one could come after them. Jacobs…" Gibbs knew that Tony wasn't going to like this part, but he had to tell him. "Jacobs is going to be temporarily reassigned to Norfolk until his team comes back to the States this May. At that point, he's going to rejoin them and head out with them after their leave." Gibbs shrugged, the frown on his face letting Tony know that he wasn't too happy about Jacobs' proximity either.

"So, he's close enough to be around and annoy the shit out of me." Tony said, a bit more pissy than he intended. "Beautiful."

"He's got no reason to come up this way, Tony. Let it go." Gibbs reached over and took Tony's hand from the table, squeezing his fingers and trying to smile at him.

Tony couldn't help but smile back. "You know that I have absolutely no doubts in your loyalty, right? I mean, none."

"That sure of yourself, huh?" Gibbs joked, trying to break Tony from his sudden mood before it could get any worse. Tony let go of Gibbs' hand, and his palm connected with the back of his head. Gibbs rubbed it with a laugh.

"Damn right, I am."

"You should be. There's no one else I want, Tony." Gibbs fingers found Tony's again and interlaced them. "After all, who has boxes and bags in the other room that we need to go sort through and unpack?"

Tony beamed smugly at Gibbs. "I do. Just me. That's who. Speaking of which, let's go put some of my sheets on your bed. I want to snuggle in comfort tonight!" Tony jumped up excitedly, pulling Gibbs by the hand into the living room to begin unpacking. Gibbs laughed happily at Tony's joy, and didn't stop smiling for the rest of the evening as they unpacked, resheeted the bed, and eventually crawled into it for a night of blissful sleep.

The last thing he thought before his mind drifted off was, _This is what a home feels like._


	15. Chapter 15

Leon sat down at his desk earlier than normal Monday morning. He couldn't sleep the night before, thinking about, of all things, how to act around Gibbs and DiNozzo. He rubbed his eyes as his PC booted up, and thought about what Jackie had said when she coerced the reason for his insomnia out of him at 0200 that morning.

" _The right answer doesn't always mean playing by the rules- especially when love is involved."_

He thought of her standing in their living room, a gun in her hand, Kai's body on the floor. He knew she would do it again in a heartbeat, and he knew that both Gibbs and DiNozzo had been put in that position multiple times.

There was something else nagging at him. He had worked hard to become Director, and he had always had ambitions of going beyond the chair he sat in, but he felt that changing.

Here, he could still navigate the politics without it consuming his soul, and he got to interact with agents, victims, families… it was the last that had him thinking. He had begun to trust the people he worked with in ways he wasn't sure he'd ever find again.

Sure, Gibbs could be a demanding, confusing prick, and DiNozzo, as he was learning, was more shades of gray then he knew how to handle, but he couldn't help but think about the other night at dinner. Spending time swapping stories with his people had been fulfilling in a very unexpected way. He had noticed, especially in hindsight, how much more relaxed and open Gibbs was. He also saw a much friendlier, genuine DiNozzo.

He thought back over the past week, and Gibbs' revelation of the "real DiNozzo". He wondered how long the younger agent had been hiding all of his better qualities from him. Leon was concerned that DiNozzo was denying himself a chance at moving up in order to stay closer to Gibbs. He was under the impression that it had happened in the past, with Rota. He knew that his agents hadn't been a couple yet, but if the younger man was willing to give up opportunities for Gibbs _then_ , what could it mean for him _now_?

Sudden laughter erupted from his chest. He realized that he was sitting there considering doing the same damned thing. At this point, if he were asked to move up, he'd respectfully decline. There was a nice balance here, and he was finding himself more than a little attached to the amazing misfits that made up the MCRT. He couldn't ask for better people to have under him. He shook his head at himself and smiled. _Everything changes,_ he thought to himself. _Just didn't expect it to change like this._

He opened his email, finally ready to take on the day. He shuffled through the less important memos, and began reading correspondence from individuals. That's when he stumbled upon the answer to his problems. Reading the words in front of him, the chaos in his brain shuffled into neat piles, and a brilliant idea was able to find its way through.

He hit reply and began hatching his plan.

* * *

Tony and Gibbs rode in together. They were going to see how well they could pass off the heating excuse. Tony flopped down at his desk, shooting a wary look at Ziva as she came into the bullpen.

"DiNozzo!"

"Yeah, Boss?" Tony's head snapped up to face Gibbs.

"Since you took your precious time this morning, the coffee's on you," Gibbs said, managing to keep a perfectly straight and stoic face.

"Got it, Boss," he said, grabbing his jacket and slipping it back on. He noticed Ziva's look and shrugged, moving closer to her. "Heat is off again at my place. Least I can do is caffeinate the bear if I'm going to be staying in his cave."

"Damn right, DiNozzo."

"Right. Sorry, Boss. You want anything?" He turned back towards Ziva, hoping she'd fork over a request so he could go hide in the elevator. He was losing the battle with the smile trying to creep across his face.

"Some mint tea would be nice if they have some. It might help settle my stomach. It does not seem to understand something I ate." Ziva said, a suspicious glare giving way to the nausea that was turning her green.

"You mean _agree_ with something you ate, and I'll see what I can do." Tony headed for the elevator and ran into Tim as he was coming off.

"Hey Probie! Coffee run, you want?"

"Sounds good! I'll take the usual!" Tim said at the closing doors.

Tony headed down to the ground floor, praying that he and Gibbs could pull off their diversions today. They had discussed them as they got ready for work this morning, happily bustling around one another in the bathroom and then the kitchen. It seemed so _normal_ that Tony had to wonder how something so simple could feel so wonderful, and how anyone ever got tired of it.

He was on the way to the coffee cart outside when his phone buzzed with a text. He pulled it out, expecting McGee or even Jethro to have texted him, but he didn't recognize the number. He wasn't sure why, but he stopped in his tracks, his gut churning immediately. Something wasn't right. He recognized the first three numbers, but wasn't sure where the exchange was from. He opened the message to find three periods, and that was all: …

He forwarded the text to Tim.

_TRACE THIS._

Tony looked around the square. He made it to the cart, ordering the coffees and tea, and then called McGee on his way back upstairs.

"It's a pre-paid cell, almost got the location. What are you thinking?" Tim said, before Tony could even say anything.

Tony could hear Gibbs in the background saying, "What the hell is going on?"

"Tell Gibbs I'll be right up. I just have a really bad gut feeling about this. It could be nothing, but it set my hair on end." Tony hung up the phone and hit the button for their floor in the elevator. He didn't know how he knew, but something wasn't right about that. He wanted to text back, but he didn't know if that was the smartest idea. He gave out his cell number very selectively these days, having had to change it so many times. He hadn't given this one out to any of his dates. He had changed it right after Christmas, and he hadn't been on a real date with anyone besides Gibbs since then.

He stepped out of the elevator, and Gibbs met his eyes immediately. The hyper-alert, overprotective Gibbs was in place; Tony felt the same kind of paranoid, defensive all felt it when someone messed with one person on their team, each member taking it like a personal threat.

Tony handed Ziva her tea. She was looking much better, distracted by the sudden excitement. Gibbs reached forward and grabbed the cup closest to him, then moved to Tim's shoulder. Tony handed Tim the cup he knew was for him, also moving to look over his shoulder. He reached out and took the coffee cup from Gibbs' hand and aimed the tray with the remaining cup in it at him. Tony had known that Gibbs had taken the wrong cup. Gibbs didn't even look away from the computer screen as he took the cup out of the holder and drank from it.

"Got it!" Tim burst out. "Pre-paid cells are harder to narrow down, but this guy is somewhere in Portsmouth."

"And Portsmouth is right next to Norfolk." Tony said, standing up and glaring at Gibbs.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and threw his free hand up in the air. "What the hell!"

Tim and Ziva both looked at them with confusion. "What is it? I do not see what is important about Norfolk."

"Yeah, what's going on? Who's in Norfolk?" Tim asked. Gibbs and Tony had their eyes locked on each other.

"It's a long story." Tony said quietly. "Can I talk to you in your office, Boss?"

Gibbs nodded. "McGee, I want you to trace that phone back. Get me every number he has dialed since he… well, since they got the damn thing!"

Gibbs stormed off towards the elevator, Tony one step behind him. Thankfully, it opened right up, having stayed there since Tony's departure. The doors closed and Gibbs hit the red stop button before pacing like a wild animal in a cage. He suddenly turned towards the wall and thumped the side of his fist against it. Tony was face first against the opposite wall, pounding his forehead against it until Gibbs' fist made contact, startling him.

"Seriously?" Tony shouted at the ceiling. "Can I not have ONE FUCKING BREAK!"

Gibbs put up his hand, motioning for Tony to hold off on his explosion, and hit the button for Abby's floor, releasing the stop. He waited in silence for the door to open and marched into her lab, Tony on his heels. They moved right past a startled Abby, into the ballistics room, closing the door.

Abby watched the two men go by and tried to follow them. When Gibbs gave her a death glare as she reached the door, she jumped back like a deer caught in headlights, backing slowly away into the lab.

Tony looked from Gibbs to her and back. He was pretty sure Abby had never earned one of his glares, and as far as he was concerned, she still hadn't. His voice was quiet as he looked past Jethro into the lab, "You know she can read lips."

"Then face the other direction." Gibbs snapped.

"Don't take your anger out on me. I'm not the enemy," Tony said, giving Jethro his own version of the Gibbs-glare. "Neither is Abby."

Jethro's head dropped into his hand and he nodded. "I know."

Tony knew that was the closest to an apology he was going to get, so he moved on. "Do you think I should reply? Just ask who it is?" Tony looked at the peculiar text blankly.

"No! Not until McGee checks it out! Hell, Tony… for all we know, it could set off a bomb or something! That would be our luck." Gibbs sat heavily in the plastic chair by the door.

"Shit, Jethro. Do you think he's that crazy?" Tony leaned back against the glass window next to Gibbs, sure to face away from the lab.

"We never expect the crazy ones until it's too late." Gibbs head went back against the window and he groaned. "If it is him, Tony, and if he is getting out of control, it's going to get back to Vance and SecNav why he's going nuts."

Tony half groaned, half yelled in exasperation, and slid down the window to sit on the floor. "That son of a bitch. I can't have anything good in my life without someone coming along to fuck it all up."

"Yeah." Gibbs said with a humorless laugh. "Tell me about it." They were both quiet for a minute as they sat there trying not to feel sorry for themselves. "So what are we going to do if it comes to that?" Gibbs asked, quietly.

"What can we do?" Tony paused for a moment, a million scenarios flying through his mind, each one turning out worse than the next. He felt himself being pulled into depression, drawn in by a little voice that was saying _Told you the other shoe would drop!_ Tony clamped his mouth shut tightly, taking a deep breath through his nose. "No. You know what? Let's not worry yet. Let McGeek figure out if it was Jacobs. If it is, we'll handle it. I'm sure that between the two of us, we have the right kind of favors to call in." Tony set his jaw firmly, determined to stay focused. He wasn't going to let the kid mess up his life when it was finally going right. "Fuck him. We're not going to let him mess this up for us. We'll figure it out. We have some of the most brilliant minds in the agency at our access, and they would do anything for us. If we need to go that route, we'll handle it." Tony looked up to find Jethro's blue eyes staring back at him.

Jethro saw the determination and fire in Tony's eyes, and drew strength from it. He let out the breath that was trapped in his chest. "Okay. We'll handle it. I'm not sure how yet, but we'll manage."

"I guess I'll tell Abby that we think another ex is stalking me. She and Ziva will both need a story. Damn it! I don't know how much more I can lie to them, Jethro!" Tony's voice was guilt ridden.

"We can't anymore, Tony. We'll figure out what's going on with Jacobs, and then we'll find a way to tell them. I can't take them not knowing either. This thing, our team, works because we trust each other, and I feel like we're betraying that trust every time we…" Jethro trailed off.

"Every time we pretend that we're not together. Yeah, I know exactly what you're saying." Tony relaxed, knowing that he was in Jethro's head as much as he was in his.

"Let's not make it worse by making something up with Abby. Just tell her we'll fill her in soon." Gibbs said with resolve.

Tony sighed in relief. "Sounds good. Every time I lie to her, I feel like I'm kicking a puppy."

Gibbs couldn't help the grimace that came to his face. He knew the feeling well, having just experienced it when he turned the evil eye on her.

"Come on. We need to go find Tim." Tony prodded, his hand patting Gibbs' knee.

Gibbs nodded. He stood up and helped Tony to his feet, barely resisting the urge to help him dust his butt off.

Tony saw him retract his hand and smile. "Can't stay away can you?" he joked quietly.

"I think I just did," the older man shot back with a smirk.

"With your hands maybe, but not with your eyes," Tony responded, not dropping a bit of his cockiness. He opened the door and left Jethro standing there in shock that he had lost that round so easily.

Tony walked straight up to Abby and wrapped his arms around her before she could even pout. She hugged him back ferociously, hurting his ribs, but he just hugged her back harder. "What's wrong, Tony? What happened?" Tony squeezed his eyes shut against the sound of tears in her voice. He pulled back and looked into her watery eyes.

"It's a long story, but I'll tell you everything really soon, I promise. I just need for you to hang in there for me, okay?" She swallowed hard and nodded, looking back at him with confused, terrified eyes.

Gibbs stepped in and pulled her against him in a protective embrace, kissing the top of her head. "It's going to be okay, Abs. Don't worry, it's nothing we can't handle, I promise." She took a deep breath and relaxed a bit. Tony knew that if Gibbs promised it was going to be alright, then Abby believed it fully. Tony tried to have her faith in his confidence.

They walked out of the lab together, but as Tony headed for the elevator, Jethro took his arm and pulled him towards autopsy, his cell phone already against his ear. "McGee. Get your laptop and get down to autopsy." He hung up without waiting for a response.

The doors swished open, and they found Ducky and Palmer going through piles of files on one of the metal tables. They both looked up to greet the men who had entered, when Tony jumped in to cut them off.

"Black Lung, I need you to find something else to do for a while." Tony knew using Palmer's secret op name would soften the blow of being dismissed. Thankfully it worked, and as the man quickly left the room, he did it with purpose and confidence instead of the anxious fear that Gibbs usually instilled in him.

Jethro gave him a sideways glance. "Black Lung?" he asked, disbelief and a look of _Are you kidding?_ on his face.

"Long story, need to know basis." Tony said humorlessly and looked at Ducky, whose smile faded, noting the serious expressions on the younger faces before him.

"I fear that I'm not going to like this conversation," he stated, directing it at both of them. "Am I?"

"Depends on whether or not you like crazy Marine stalkers with the hots for my man, Ducky." Tony saw Jethro roll his eyes. He was completely expecting a head-slap with the reference, fishing for one to release a little of the tension he saw in Jethro's shoulders. It was how he always got his boss out of his headspace. He couldn't help but be amused though when he realized that instead, a small smile was forming on Jethro's ducked head, and his ears were turning pink.

Ducky wasn't sure how to respond to either part of that statement, so he simply looked from one man to the other and headed for the brandy he kept in a supply cabinet.

"Before noon, Duck?" Jethro asked.

"I have been here assisting Mr. Palmer with his dissertation portfolio since 0500, gentlemen. That alone would make me deserving of a belt, but add this bit of news… I do believe it is far from inappropriate."

Tony and Jethro shared a look. "Great, we're driving Ducky to drink." Tony threw his hands up and jumped back to sit on a table.

As Ducky poured a bit of brandy into his teacup, the door swished open, and McGee bustled through, heading straight for Ducky's desk. "Okay, Boss. I got the very short call log from his phone. I was able to get a signal on his current location, and I have an update set to come to my phone every five minutes. If he moves, we'll know."

"Good work McGee. What do we know so far?" Gibbs said, hovering over the younger man's shoulder.

"It would help, in crucial ways, if I knew at all about what I'm looking for." Tim's voice had more sass to it than any of them expected, including Tim, but he didn't back down.

"Oh. I thought Tony would have told you." Gibbs said quietly, standing up and turning to look at Tony stiffly.

Tony's hand came up and made contact with the back of Gibbs' head. "I wasn't about to go around telling anyone about Jacobs' creepy man-crush! That's your own personal mess."

Tim and Gibbs began talking over one another.

"Personal? You're the one that threatened him so bad he can't even look at me!" Gibbs said, not at all angry, rubbing the back of his head with the faint blush reappearing, creeping up his neck. Tony noticed with a smug satisfaction.

"Wait! Jacobs, as in the guy that was helping with the op?" Tim said over him, turning to watch the scene unfold.

Tony looked at Tim for a moment before looking back into Jethro's embarrassed smile and twinkling blue eyes; their gazes locked as he replied. "Yeah, he took quite a shine to Jethro, and apparently, I'm a possessive man. I let him know in not so subtle ways that if he didn't back off, he was getting shoved off. He's stationed at Norfolk now until his team gets back from the Middle East." The fire crackling between Tony and Jethro was electric. Tony had indeed been possessive, and he knew that he always would be.

Jethro hadn't expected that, but he loved it. Usually he was the jealous, territory-driven one. It was incredibly hot to him that Tony was that way in return. He'd never had that before.

The room was silent as Jethro and Tony stared back at one another, not breaking the gaze, each man able to possess the other with simple eye contact. Tim and Ducky exchanged a look and then found other things to stare at, both feeling like they were somehow invading a private moment. The spell was broken by a beep on Tim's computer to update them on the phone's whereabouts.

"Boss, Tony, he's on the move." They both leaned down to look at the map on Tim's tiny laptop screen. "Looks like he's heading into work, going over the Norfolk Bridge."

"Keep an eye on him McGee. If he doesn't go to the base, I want to know immediately." Gibbs squinted at the screen, trying to pick up the little dot as it moved up the map.

"I have an idea." McGee said. He switched windows, making Gibbs shoot a look at Tony in the sudden loss of contact with the little flashing dot. Tony nodded at him in a reassuring way. He trusted Tim and his tech more than Gibbs ever would. To Gibbs, if the screen wasn't up in front of his face, he had no faith it existed. Tony tried to smile, but the defenses were up in his body. He knew good and well that the bridge not only led to the base, but the highway north, to DC. He watched as McGee brought up a site that looked vaguely familiar, but he was sure it had been years since he'd seen it.

A small dialogue box popped up asking for a username and password. Tim tried a couple of combinations before one took, and the site changed to a blue and black command screen. Tim smiled at the screen like a kid with a treasure map.

"When I left Norfolk seven years ago, I made sure to keep a back door open into their security system. We'll get into the cameras, and when the phone enters the base, _if_ the phone enters the base, we'll be able to track him visually." Tim looked like he was having fun hacking into the system, pulling up cameras from all the entrances, switching back and forth between the screens, making sure the cell phone's little blinking dot still headed for the Naval base instead of going northwest towards D.C.

Tony shook Tim by his shoulders, a wide grin coming across his face. "Atta boy McGenius!"

Even Gibbs stood up straight with a smirk, feeling pride in his agent's resourcefulness. He couldn't help but see McGee in a new light these days. He wasn't just an agent- he was proving himself to be a trustworthy friend. He watched the pride that Tony's expression held, and wondered again if Tony didn't secretly regret not leading his own team. He knew that he couldn't let his mind wander there at the moment. There were more urgent matters that needed his attention just then, but he was going to have to clear that question out with Tony later. It had been nagging at him and he knew it wouldn't rest until he got the confirmation from Tony that he needed.

He looked back at the computer screen, and Tim pointed out the incoming car with excitement. "This could be him."

"Could be, McGeek? We need to know for sure."

"Don't even, Tony. You know just as well as I do that the tracking is only good up to 300 yards. We're going to have to scan each car that enters." Tim's brush off made Gibbs raise his eyebrows at Tony with a question. Tony smiled sheepishly. Tim seemed to have no problem telling him off anymore. If Tony wasn't careful, the probie was going to let it slip to Gibbs just how much tech-geek had worn off on him over the years.

Tim was trying to find an angle to get a view of the inside of the car as it traveled into the lot and behind another car at the guard gate. He had the angle they needed as the first car pulled away, revealing their target behind the wheel of the small two door car. Tony's hand clenched in a death grip on Tim's shoulder, causing Tim to yelp.

"Whoops. Sorry Probie." Tony's hand rubbed the shoulder a little, grimacing as he exchanged looks with Ducky, the concern for Tim's left shoulder obvious.

"Honestly, Anthony. If you must inflict pain on him, do it on his non-dominant side!" Ducky chastised.

"Jeez, thanks, Ducky. I know who isn't getting a Christmas present this year." Tim said, not evening looking up from his image enhancement.

Tony hadn't heard any of the exchange. His mouth clenched, his expression darkened again immediately and then he leaned in towards the screen. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell, opening the text and hitting "Call". Gibbs and Tim both looked at him as they heard the beep on his phone.

"What are you doing?" Gibbs asked, voice calm, though his eyes told a different story. Tony's face was fixated on the screen. The other men turned back to it. The guard was in the shack, checking the soldier's credentials, leaving Jacobs alone in the car for a moment. They watched the cocky smile appear on the young Marine's face as he reached to answer the phone.

"I knew you'd call." Jacobs answered on speaker, suddenly more confident than Tony had ever heard him.

"You're in a two-door Honda, navy blue, waiting at the guard gate. Green pine tree air freshener hanging from your rearview, outdated base sticker on the front right corner of the windshield, reading August of 2009." Tony's voice was low, cold and crisp. Gibbs had never seen him with that look in his eyes, and he had never heard his voice sound so menacing. Tony always took the high road, using sarcasm and humor to unravel his enemies, turning their stories against them, going for justice in interrogation. This was different. This was a personal threat, not a professional one.

Tony ignored the looks he received from the men around him. He was too busy protecting his family from having anyone else playing mind games with it.

The three men fought the chills back and watched as the cockiness disappeared from Jacobs' face completely, turning the younger man white as a ghost.

"I can find you at any given moment. I have resources that you would never hold up against. If you want to play this game, be prepared to lose. I've been playing it a hell of a lot longer, and I haven't lost yet. Just try me. You'll be lucky if you can remember your own name when I'm done tying your mind in knots. Your choice."

Tony hung up the phone, staring at the screen. Tim and Ducky stared with him as they watched Jacobs reach out and take the paperwork back from the guard with a shaky hand, a rather defeated and terrified look on his face. Gibbs stared at Tony, torn between a sudden intense need to be close, and an uncertainty of who the man was that he had just witnessed his lover become. If he were in Jacobs' shoes, he wouldn't ever step foot in DC again. He was beginning to understand why the younger man hadn't been able to even look his way the day of the final op briefing. If Tony had gone off on the punk in that voice, Jacobs had to be crazy to try to pick a fight with him.

Tony felt Jethro's eyes on him and turned to meet them. As his gaze shifted, he noticed that neither Tim nor Ducky were looking up at him, intentionally avoiding meeting his eyes. Ducky pushed Tim by the shoulder, motioning for him to move. They both got to their feet and made their way out of the room, leaving their two friends together.

Gibbs looked at him, half worried, half exhilarated. His lips were parted just a little, and his breathing had taken on a quick, shallow rhythm.

"This team is my life, Jethro. I'm done with people fucking with it. You guys are my family. The team means everything to me, especially you. I won't have anyone even _thinking_ that they could come between us. We may not always be on the same team. Tim will probably eventually need more responsibility, and Ziva will probably eventually want a life that doesn't require having more than three weapons on her at one time. That doesn't mean we'll stop being a family. I've never had a family I can trust not to hurt me. I've never had people that I want to spend Christmas day with, sharing presents and a meal. I've trusted partners with my life before, but I've never trusted anyone with my happiness. I finally do, and I'm not going to let anything get in the way of that."

Jethro took the two steps needed to reach Tony, and pulled him into a tight embrace, his cheek pressed against Tony's as strong arms returned the hug. They held each other as closely as possible, afraid if they were to let go, they would slip away from one another forever.

"I've lost one family already, Tony. I won't make it through losing another. We won't let anything happen to them, or us. I promise." Jethro felt Tony shudder and take a deep breath in his arms. He didn't feel it continue, so he knew it was the adrenaline of the moment running out of him, not tears. He pulled back a little, and looked deeply into the pleading green eyes. "We'll keep them safe. Hell, they might even keep us safe." Jethro tried to smile at Tony, but he knew it barely passed. Tony took a deep breath and finally broke out of the hold Jethro had on him.

"Trust me, nothing is going to happen to any of us, especially not at that punk's hands." Tony glared at the now blackened monitor. "He wants to play mind games? Well, then it's game on."

Gibbs fought off another shiver at the look that ghosted over Tony's eyes again. He decided that no matter how possessive that look meant Tony was, he didn't like it. The fact that Tony felt like he had to defend them so passionately, emphasized how much he needed them, reminding Gibbs of the life Tony grew up with. He felt a new resolve taking over and it grounded him. Tony needed their team, needed their family, and he would never let anything happen to them, because like himself, there was a good chance that Tony wouldn't make it if something to happen and they were taken away from him forever.

Gibbs watched Tony's beautiful face, contorted with anger and fear.

"Tony?" Gibbs said, feeling world-weary and determined at the same time.

"Yeah?" Tony snapped his head away from the monitor and looked at his lover's face with concern at his tone.

"Let's go talk to the team."

"You mean _, talk to them_ , talk to them?" Tony asked, the softness returning to his eyes.

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah. Let's go tell our family about us. I want them to know. I think we need them right now," he admitted.

Tony reached his hand out to his boss, his lover, his best friend. He felt the smile turn his lips up at the ends before he could stop it, and despite himself, he felt warm and loved. "Yeah, me too."

Jethro took Tony's hand and led him through the door to the elevator. They got in and waited for the doors to come back together. Jethro pushed the stop button and gently placed a tender kiss on Tony's lips. They both craved a much stronger connection, but they knew that was going to have to wait.

"I love you, Tony. I'm not going to let anything get in the way of that anymore," he whispered, his forehead resting against Tony's.

Tony felt the tense knot in his stomach come undone, untied by the butterflies that his lover's declaration had caused. "I love you too, Jethro. Let's go. I wanna tell our friends." Tony's warm smile returned and Jethro couldn't help the one that came to his own lips, greeted with a happy sigh. He felt relieved to see that his Tony was back.

He turned to press the button for the bullpen. Gibbs stuck his head out when the doors opened. "Ziver! Get moving!"

Ziva heard her name called and jumped up to locate its source. Finding Gibbs standing halfway out of the elevator, a hand holding it open, she picked up her tea and headed for the lift. She stepped in quickly. The doors closed behind her as she gave them questioning glares. Something was going on, and she knew it. First Tony and Gibbs had stormed off, and then fifteen minutes later, Tim had gotten a call and ran off after them. She felt out of the loop in a way she hadn't for a long time.

"Team meeting in Abby's lab." Tony said, looking over at Gibbs with a half-smile. Gibbs gave him one in return, accompanied by a reassuring nod. Ziva barely had time to be confused when the doors opened and she turned to step off.

Tim, Ducky, Jimmy and Abby were all standing awkwardly around the evidence table in the lab. Ducky being silent felt like a bad omen in and of itself. The death-glare that Abby was giving Tim made even Gibbs cringe. Ziva moved to stand with them, turning to where Gibbs and Tony stood side by side, taking in the scene.

Tony felt his mouth go dry and his breathing speed up. He hadn't really considered the possibility that they would object to Gibbs' and his relationship, but now the fear gripped him. Instinctively, he reached out and took Gibbs' hand. It was strong, warm, comforting- and it made Abby yell, "OH. MY. GOD!"

Gibbs looked down to the entwined fingers, and smiled broadly.

"Tony! Gibbs is your mystery man?" Abby's voice was loud and full of disbelief. When she looked around the room, it was obvious who knew already, their expressions giving them away immediately. When she saw that Tim was smiling uncontrollably, and he was bright red, her expression changed completely.

Gibbs stepped forward, but didn't let go of Tony's hand. "Abby- don't." Gibbs tone caused her head to jerk to the side to glance at him before turning her fiery gaze back on her boyfriend. "He wasn't allowed to say anything. There are two reasons we're telling everyone. The biggest reason is we want you to all share in our happiness."

Tony finally found his voice, stepping closer to the table. "You're our family. We don't want to keep this from you. It's only been a couple of weeks, and the lying has been killing us. It's not fair to you, or us, to keep it a secret any longer." There was a long pause as they gauged everyone's reactions. Ducky looked tenderly pleased, Tim looked relieved at Gibbs' intervention with Abby, Jimmy looked stunned and shocked, and Ziva caught Tony's eyes.

"I think you bring out the best in each other," she said, a small smile of approval on her face. Tony smiled brightly in return. Ziva's opinion mattered a hell of a lot to him. He would never tell her that, of course, but it really did.

Gibbs' smile was full of relief and gratitude as well. Tony knew that he and Ziva had a bond almost as strong as the one he had with Abby. It wasn't as outwardly affectionate, but there was just as much protective love and respect there.

Abby looked a little angry, a little sad, and a little shocked. Gibbs finally released Tony's hand to move and wrap her in a tight embrace.

"I'm finally getting it right Abs, and that meant waiting to tell you. Please don't be mad at us." He whispered the words into her ear, and was relieved when she hugged him tighter.

"I'm not mad. Hurt, yes, but definitely not mad." She pulled back abruptly. "If either of you mess this up, you'll have to answer to all of us, especially me! You'll see me madder than you've ever seen me. Got it?" She gave her friends a look that said she meant it.

"We promise to keep trying Abby. Can't promise it's always going to be pretty," Gibbs turned to smile at Tony, their eyes meeting, unabashedly exuding the love they were feeling, "But I promise- I'll always keep trying." He made his promise more to Tony than the woman next to him, and Tony knew it.

"Me, too," he said, maintaining the eye contact.

Tim looked at Ducky as he watched the pair. The older man looked genuinely content. Ducky felt Tim's stare and met it, giving him a nod. They had talked the day that they had been taken into their friends' confidence. Ducky admitted to Tim that he had been worried about both men for a long time, afraid that neither would ever let anyone in. His wishes were more than answered when they had requested the meeting a few days before.

Both Tim and Ducky braved a look at Jimmy who was still standing there wide-eyed and in shock. Tony chose that moment to look to him for his approval as well. Jimmy's broad smile won out over the shock and he opened his mouth. "I know I'm not the best at reading people, well, _live_ people, and all, but am I the only one that missed this coming? I didn't see it… at all. Not that it's not a good thing, but you know, I just didn't…" Jimmy's nervous rambling was stopped by random chuckles erupting around the room. The tension finally broke and everyone was able to relax a bit.

"I think the only ones that really saw it coming was us." Tony said.

"And even then, we were being too stubborn to admit it. Hell, took us ten years." Gibbs said.

McGee's phone beeped loudly and his eyes went wide as he fumbled for it. It was the alert for Jacobs' cell phone. He had left the Naval Base. His eyes shot up to Tony's. "He's on the move."

Gibbs' hand tightened around Tony's. "Remember what I said." His voice was gentle, but it was still commanding. Tony nodded.

"This is the other reason why we needed to tell you. We have an issue, and we need your help." Gibbs continued.

Tony's mouth opened with a surprisingly cheerful tone, despite the copious amount of sarcasm it seethed as he said, "Looks like being with me has earned Jethro a stalker! We've got another one for the I've-Been-Stalked-or-Have-Dated-a-Perp NCIS Support Group!" He turned to Gibbs, giving him a smile. "Meetings are every other Wednesday at 8pm in the lounge. Coffee and donuts are provided. Try to leave your stalker at home, if at all possible." Gibbs rolled his eyes, but Tony's smile was contagious. He was glad to see Tony using his usual tactics to deal with the situation at hand. His humor had gotten the team through rough cases, tense moments, and terrifying situations- it could get them through this.

"As long as I can sit there, drink my coffee and not have to say anything." Gibbs quipped back, trying to encourage the more positive side of Tony, while earning a few surprised glances from the people in the room.

"Like I said…" Ziva whispered to Ducky. "They certainly bring out the best in one another." Both Gibbs and Tony heard and smiled. They had both known for a long time that they brought out the best in one another.

"So, what's this person's name, guys? Who do we need to disp- er, I mean, take care of?" Abby asked with the faux innocence of a toxic cupcake or rabid puppy.

Tony made eye contact with each of the people around him. "His name is Jacobs. He was part of the op, so you've probably seen him around."

Abby pulled him up on the screen. "This guy is after Gibbs? No offense, but he's less than half your age Gibbs! I mean, you're already robbing the cradle with Tony, ya know?" Gibbs rolled his eyes at her.

Tony watched as Ziva moved toward the screen, a cold, calculating, absorbing look on her face. Tony knew she was imagining how she would kill him, and he felt warmth run though him. _And THAT is why I love my team,_ Tony thought to himself with a smile and a slight shake of his head. He made eye contact with Gibbs and could tell he was thinking the same thing. Even Jimmy had come to get a better look at the man on the screen, squinting over Ziva's shoulder for a spell.

"Well, Jacobs has a thing for Gibbs, but then he wasn't taking the hint that Gibbs doesn't have a thing for him, so I told him off. Now, he's trying to harass me, or something."

"Told him off?" Gibbs asked with stern disbelief. "Tony, you scared the shit out of him. Twice now."

Tony shrugged. Both Abby and Ziva gave him proud looks. Tony smiled back. "Well, you're taken. He needed to know that." Tony's hand silently found Gibbs' without even looking. They stood there, hands clasped like it was completely normal as Tony went over what had happened so far that day.

Gibbs' eyes fell on Tony's face as he lost himself in thought for a moment. Somehow, Abby's lab had become a safe enough place that he hadn't even realized that they were holding hands again at first. Once he realized it though, he looked at the interlaced fingers, and then up at his lover. He stared at him, standing with the rest of their team, and watched him interact with them.

With them, he was comfortable, open, and he knew how to address each one so naturally that it was as if they really were all family. He also noted the way that Tony stood straighter, his shoulders squared and his stance wider. He was in a protective, alert and defensive mode still, he realized. He'd seen him like that before, and he knew that it wasn't going to go away overnight. It somehow made Gibbs love him even more, while at the same time made him ache for the reasons Tony got like that.

Tim interrupted his thoughts, rushing in with his laptop that he'd gone to get from Ducky's desk. He was already typing on it one handed as he walked in. By the time he met Abby at her computer, the plasma showed a map of the Virginia, D.C., and Maryland area. They watched as a blinking dot travelled northwest on a highway out of town. Tim began hacking into a traffic cam system along the highway. It didn't take long before four windows popped up on the plasma.

"We're looking for a dark, two-door Honda with Virginia plates." Tony announced. Jimmy, Ziva, Gibbs and Tony all moved towards the plasma. Gibbs assigned each of them a window to watch, and Ducky watched over Tim's shoulder as he pulled up the plate information on the car.

"Hey guys, it might be hard to tell with it being such a cloudy day, but it's going to have a sunroof." Tim said over the computers without taking his eyes off the screen and his fingers off of the keyboard.

Abby was running an analysis program on the screens on her computer, trying to catch the car as it went by. She was having an issue with something and she hissed a little under her breath. Tim looked up and saw her frustration. He moved to stand behind her, arms coming around her on each side as he looked over her shoulder and typed something into the keyboard, getting things back to where she needed them. She turned and looked at him with a genuine smile, and he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before he separated from her and moved back to his computer.

Ducky stared at them with fondness. "Yet another match that quells so many worries," he said softly so that only the two could hear. Abby and Tim looked at one another shyly, and then back at their keyboards.

"Ooo! Ooo! That could have been him!" Jimmy shouted, pointing to his window. They followed the car he thought looked appropriate into another camera. Abby was bringing up another window on her computer, trying to rewind the last minute's video on the screen to find the car Jimmy was seeing. She freeze framed it and looked at the license plate. It didn't match.

"Nope. Keep looking. Good eye though Jimmy! Same make and year, but not the right one." She went back to the four screens, running the analysis.

"Abby! Bottom left!" Gibbs barked, and she pulled it up, freezing it and running the plates.

"We got him!" She shouted. Tim had a new set of cameras on screen, watching as he appeared on first one, and then another.

"There won't be another set of traffic cams for fifteen miles." He was playing a few seconds of video over and over, mouthing something for a moment. "He's going between 70 and 75 miles per hour. He could be here in about three hours."

Tony moved to the evidence table. "Campfire kiddies." Gibbs rolled his eyes again, but joined the group as they all circled the table, looking at Tony, waiting for direction. Gibbs looked around at them, and then turned to look at Tony as well. He knew that at this point, Tony needed to feel in control, and though Gibbs was reluctant to turn it over, not liking the person his lover became when the jealousy and protectiveness came over him, he let Tony take over for the time being.

"Here's what we're going to do." Everyone looked around at Tony expectantly, watching the way his eyes shifted and a smirk appeared on his face. "Nothing."

Everyone looked at each other before looking back at him. Ducky's eyes met Gibbs' for a long calculating moment before they both looked back at Tony.

"If we go after him right now, we get in trouble for the sneaking we've had to do up to this point. We have a heads up. We know he's heading for D.C., but we officially don't know why. We'll just go about our day today, like nothing is different, but when the day is over, we all need to meet back at Gibbs' house. No one leaves alone, just in case. We'll take it from there, off the clock. If he tries anything, then we act. We will track his every move once he gets into the city, discreetly. If we do anything through official channels, news of Jethro's and my relationship can get up the ladder." Tony looked around the table, meeting everyone's eyes. They all knew what could do to their team. The weight and sensitivity of the situation really sunk in. "We handle this together, quietly, and through outside connections, if it comes to that."

Nods and glances were shared around the table. "I don't want any one of us to have to deal with him alone, but if he comes looking for trouble, we will be ready, together. So unless a case comes along, Gibbs' house at six."

"Our house." Gibbs corrected him. Tony looked up at him and smiled.

"Wait! You guys are already living together?" Abby burst out.

"Not officially, Abs." Tony said gently.

"Making it official really soon though." Gibbs said, trying to reassure Abby and let Tony know how serious he was about it all. He had to admit it was nice to be open about it with his people.

Abby gave Tim another look, and being able to read that he knew on his face, she huffed. Gibbs opened his mouth to break in again, but Tim beat him to it.

"Abby, I just found out myself two days ago. I knew they wanted to be the ones to tell you. I wasn't about to ruin the surprise." That seemed to win her over. The thought of the announcement being a surprise rather than a secret pacified her.

"We need to get back to work before Vance comes looking for us. Let's meet back up here at…" Tony looked at his watch. "At 1300. I'll order pizza, we'll have late lunch together and see where the pr- where Jacobs is. We'll take it from there, and plan on staying at Gibbs'- uh- our house?" Tony shot Gibbs a look, asking for approval, which he got with a smile and nod. "Plan on staying at our house if he doesn't show up here. The guy is a Marine after all. I don't know what he thinks he's going to do when he gets here, but there's a reason we've used him for so many ops. He's determined and capable of much more than I like to think about."

Gibbs winced inwardly, thinking about the truth behind the statement. He watched the determined faces of each person around the table. If anything happened to any of them, he'd never forgive himself. The idea that after being threatened to stay away twice, this man was still coming back for more, gave him the cold chill that something bad could happen to someone he loved. To him, there was no worse feeling in the world. He was glad Tony was thinking so rationally about it all. Gibbs wanted to go meet him on the highway with a blockade and shoot the prick as soon as he got out of his car. He really wanted to confront Jacobs, face to face, but he kept thinking about what happened with Maddie, and how if he would have just trusted his team, Tony wouldn't have had to save their asses.

He shook himself from the regrets of his past and the fears of his future. They needed to focus on what they could do now. "Alright people, we need to get back to work."

Ducky gave Gibbs a long assessing look. Once he was satisfied, he turned to head towards the door. "Come along Mr. Palmer. We have work to do."

Jimmy headed after the M.E. and they disappeared through the door. Tim looked at Gibbs and then Abby. "I'll be right up, Boss." Gibbs knew that he had to clear the air with Abby.

"Make it soon, McGee." Gibbs headed for the door, Ziva on his heels.

"Hey, Boss? I'm going to go pick up where I left off with those videos in the conference room. Clear my head." Tony said after him. Gibbs stopped in his tracks, and turned so that Ziva almost ran right into him.

"Okay. Let me know if you think she's hiding anything more. I'll let you know as soon as a case comes in."

Tony nodded and gave him a smile, trying to convey that things would be okay. Gibbs smiled and shrugged a little back. They'd get through this, they always did. They both knew that getting through it wasn't always easy, but they would make it out on the other side even stronger than they were going in.

Gibbs and Ziva headed through the door. Tony turned towards Abby.

"Abs, I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you."

Abby looked at him, her smile sad. "I understand, Tony. I do. It just… feels like you felt you couldn't trust me." She chewed her lip and crossed her arms.

"I didn't trust myself. It's not something that I ever thought I'd be able to bring myself to do… to tell him what I was feeling, what I have been feeling for years. And then everyone left us alone at the bar on St. Patrick's day, and we just… we finally had some time to just be ourselves around each other. Next thing we knew, we're together. I was afraid, and sometimes I still pinch myself, that it was too good to be true. I didn't want to tell everyone until I was sure he could put up with me. And I couldn't talk to you about it, because we both love you, and if anything happened between us, and things didn't work out, we didn't want to put you in the middle of that." Tony's eyes never left hers. He knew that she deserved to hear it. They had been friends for ten years. Not telling her was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do.

"But you're sure now? You already know that things are going to work out?" Abby looked even more nervous than he had started.

"Absolutely. I have never been so sure of anything in my entire life. I can't be without him now, Abs. I want this with everything in me."

"How do you know it's going to work? How do you know something won't happen? That you won't end up hating each other, or that you'll end up getting on each other's nerves, or that you're going to end up living together and drive each other crazy and not want to be around each other, or…" Tim wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him. His eyes were closed and Tony knew immediately that her questions weren't about him and Gibbs- they were about her and Tim. She held onto him tightly, and he held her back. "I don't want to lose my best friend, Timmy." She cried on his shoulder, eyes squeezed shut, tears finding a way through and spilling down her cheeks.

"You'll never lose me, Abby. No matter what happens, you'll never lose me." Tim's voice was gentle, but firm.

Tony watched them for a long moment, and then in a quiet voice, he began answering her question. "I know, because without him in my life, I would be an empty shell. He has always made me feel like I was worth so much more than anyone else in my life has ever made me feel. With just a touch, a glance, I know what he's thinking. I feel him walk into a room, and his presence calms me, because I know that when I'm with him, I'm safe, protected, and I would do anything to keep him safe and happy. I trust him with my life, Abby. I trust him more than anybody. I can tell him things I can't tell anyone else, and he doesn't think less of me, doesn't try to make my thoughts and concerns seem trivial, but helps me work through them. He's stood by me against the world's worst, and I wouldn't leave his side if it cost me my life. I know because for the first time in my life, I believe I'm loved, wanted… he's given me that. And I love him more than I ever believed I could love anyone. I would be a moron to let something as stupid as household tiffs and our work schedules take something so precious from me."

Tony reached his hand out to his side. He had known that Gibbs had been waiting in the hallway to talk to him, and had come into the room shortly into the explanation. He felt the strong, warm hand grasp his and his eyes fell closed, a smile formed on his face and he took a deep calming breath. He opened his eyes again and looked up at Jethro. "You'll know Abby, because when you are together, you know you can take on the world, and win."

"And when you aren't together, you feel like a part of you is missing." Jethro said, looking back at Tony's shining green eyes.

Abby's tears stopped, and she laid her forehead against Tim's. Tony and Jethro took that as their cue to leave. They headed towards the door, letting go of each other's hands as they exited to the hallway where the security cameras would be able to see them.

They got into the elevator, and stopped it. Tony pulled Jethro into his arms and held him close. Jethro held him just as tightly. They didn't say a word- they didn't have to. They just breathed one another in, letting the scent of each other calm them. When they slowly disentangled themselves, they stared into each other's eyes for a long moment. Everything that could possibly be said was said with that look.

Gibbs reached out and turned the elevator back on. They got out on the floor with the bullpen, and headed for their desks. Tony began gathering his files and notebook for the Stafford tapes. He wanted to bury himself in work for the next couple of hours and just forget about Jacobs. He was about to head for the staircase behind him when he heard Vance's voice coming from above him.

"Gibbs, DiNozzo, I need to borrow you. My office." He turned around without waiting for a response.

Panicked looks were shared between everyone in the bullpen. Tony sat his stuff back on his desk and Ziva stood up to watch him and Gibbs head for the Director's office. The two men shared a look going up the stairs that discussed the possibilities of what the meeting was about.

"He said "borrow". It's probably about the op. Just stay calm." Gibbs whispered, putting on his game face. Tony smiled, not really believing that with their luck, but knowing that he had a role to play.

The two men went directly into the office, closing the door behind them. Vance was sitting behind his desk, a smile on his face. Gibbs wasn't sure if he should be worried more or less when he realized that the smile was genuine. He and Tony sat down in the beige armchairs across from the desk. Tony had his mask in place again, his undercover skills always just a blink away. Gibbs' stiff stoicism threw Tony off a little, but he didn't let it show. He had gotten very used to a much different Gibbs this past week. To be in the presence of the former Gibbs was a reminder of the quiet strength and control that had always impressed him, while leaving him on edge.

"Where has your team been all morning, Gibbs?" he asked, closing a folder and taking a toothpick from its plastic sheathe.

"We were having a team meeting with Ducky, Palmer and Abby in the lab." Gibbs answered honestly.

"You're going to need another one. I need to talk to you two about some things."

Gibbs' eyebrow rose. "That's never a good way to start a conversation, Leon. Why do I have a feeling like I'm not going to like this?"

"You probably won't, but it's unavoidable."

The look on Vance's face looked honestly torn and regretful. It made Gibbs' stomach drop. This wasn't going to be good. If Vance was sympathetic about it, it wasn't just going to be bad, it was going to be really bad.

"I got notification from Simmons today that she's found out that she's nine weeks pregnant." Vance looked back and forth between the two men and his eyes stopped when they met Tony's. "She's not going to be allowed in the field in a couple of weeks. Once she hits that magic twelfth week, she is behind a desk. I need someone who can step into her shoes that I trust. She has two pretty green probies that she's been working very hard to train, each with their own specialty, and both with great potential. Neither has a lot of field experience though."

It suddenly hit Tony what was being said. He chanced a glance at Gibbs, whose expression was focused and tense.

When Vance started speaking again, his voice was different, softer. "DiNozzo, I want you to take over for her in the interim. This will give them a chance to work with one of my best field agents, and give you a chance to decide what you want to do when she comes back to work in a year, since you won't be going back to Gibbs' team."

Gibbs and Tony both looked back and forth between the Director and each other, sitting forward in their chairs, startled and angry. "What the hell are you doing to my team, Leon?"

Vance's tone was firm, but his expression betrayed his sympathy and regret. "Gibbs, calm down. You know that more than anyone, I have learned that to split up your team spells trouble. You work together better than any other team in the entire agency, especially you two, but now that you are seeing each other, I can't let that happen."

Tony swallowed hard and looked at Gibbs, who turned to look back at him. They sat frozen, staring back at one another silently, and if Vance didn't know already that they were together, he knew with that look.


	16. Chapter 16

Tony looked over at Gibbs, his icy blue eyes displaying what he knew was the same look he wore. He didn't think this, of all things, would happen today- at least not under these circumstances. The shock and surprise were easily overcome by the frustration, anger and fear of such a big change. Neither of them was good with change, but their entire lives, for the past ten years, had been based on their reliance on one another, their ability to read one another and the trust that being in the field together had earned them.

Gibbs sighed and ran his hand down his face. Tony closed his eyes and shook his head. A sardonic laugh escaped Tony and Gibbs looked over at him again.

"All this and it's not even noon yet." Tony said. "You know Jethro, your bad luck and my bad luck coming together like this just might kill us."

Vance gave them a concerned look. Tony's eyes met his again. "So what gave us away?"

The toothpick switched sides of Vance's mouth and he broke out a warm smile. "You guys have sweeter phone conversations than Jackie and I." His smile widened and he chuckled.

Tony looked personally affronted, and Gibbs couldn't help but chuckle at his expression. Tony shot him a glare.

"What?" Gibbs asked. "We do. Nothing to be ashamed of." The admission made Tony smile.

"I have to admit, I wasn't too happy when I first put two and two together. How long has it been going on?" The expression on Vance's face told his agents that he expected an honest answer.

"A week." Tony answered at the same time that Jethro was saying, "Nine days."

Tony looked at him fondly. "You're counting the days?" he asked, an amused smile on his face.

"Not until we told the team that we were moving in together. That made me think about it." Gibbs answered calmly with a shrug.

"Your team knows?" Vance asked.

"Had to tell them this morning." Gibbs answered.

"Had to?"

"There's a situation. We're taking care of it," Tony said, shrugging like it was no big deal.

"I don't like the sound of that DiNozzo." Vance said, eyeing him for a clue.

Gibbs didn't know why it was so hard for him to admit what was going on with Jacobs. He was just outed to almost everyone that mattered to him. He wasn't ashamed of Tony or their relationship. Hell, he was really happy that they had told the team, and despite Vance thinking that he was going to re-assign Tony, he felt oddly relieved to be open with him as well.

He'd never had a relationship with another man before. He'd had his share of flings, but he hadn't been in anything serious like this with a guy before. He realized that before Tony, he had never even considered it. He knew times were different now, but he couldn't ever remember _wanting_ a relationship with a man to last more than a day or two, much less for the rest of his life.

He knew that he wanted _this_ one to last forever, and in order for it to, he knew he was going to have to confront Jacobs and the history of hit and runs he suddenly felt uncomfortable with. He took a deep breath before opening his mouth.

"Jacobs showed some inappropriate interest in me, and now he's harassing Tony because he told him off."

"Why didn't you say something to me Gibbs?" Vance asked. He looked genuinely upset, though Gibbs wasn't quite sure why.

"We couldn't chance being outed, and it was more of an accumulation of subtle things. Nothing concrete," Gibbs said much more nonchalantly than he felt.

"Well, until he played footsie with you at the restaurant," Tony said, setting his jaw in anger at the recollection.

"That's what was happening…" Vance said, realization lighting up his face. "I wondered why the temperature dropped ten degrees when you two came back to the table." Vance shook his head chuckling, earning a glare from Gibbs.

"What are you doing to take care of it?" he asked seriously.

"Just monitoring him. We have reason to believe he's on the way to D.C." Tony said, then adding with sarcastic cheerfulness, "We're going to have a visitor, Jethro!"

"Not for a few weeks when Dad comes up. Jacobs had better not even try to _visit_ us." Gibbs said.

"Well, I meant here at work, but yeah, if he tries at home, he's in for more than he's bargaining for." Tony's confidence made Gibbs smile.

"I'm not hearing any of this, am I?" Vance asked, eyebrow raised.

"Doesn't matter. Either way, it's getting done our way." Gibbs answered.

"That's about what I figured. Didn't hear a damn thing. Now, DiNozzo's re-assignment."

Both men went cold again. The glare that Vance got from Gibbs made him realize just how thin the ice was he was standing on. Gibbs looked like he wanted to explode. Vance had a feeling that the only reason he hadn't yet was because of Tony. The younger man looked as confused as he did vehement.

"What are my other options?" Tony asked.

"I've been trying to think of one where you don't have to leave Gibbs' team, but I couldn't. This just fell into place, otherwise the other options weren't nearly as pleasant." Both Tony and Gibbs saw genuine distress in Vance's expression, and it threw them off enough to cool their tempers a bit. Vance looked straight at Tony as he talked. "You know that if anyone finds out about your relationship, things will get rough on you. Finding out while you're on the same team would mean I'd have to take one of you out of the picture entirely. This way, we have some time to figure things out. Putting you both on the same level will mean you can stay here together. Otherwise, one of you will end up somewhere else completely, and let's face it, it's going to be you. No one else will work with Gibbs."

Tony couldn't help but smirk at that, giving Gibbs a look of pride. That was his Jethro at the core, and it was exactly why he loved him. "And you don't waste good," he said softly.

Gibbs tried to glare at Vance, but Tony's words made him smile a little instead. His hand came up to the back of his neck to rub that embarrassed feeling away that Tony gave him when looking at him with such unabashed pride. For all of his cockiness sometimes, he didn't feel like he deserved it, especially from Tony, who knew him better than anyone.

Looking back at Vance, Tony sighed. "There's really no way around this, is there?" He felt resigned to the matter. He might not be able to keep Gibbs at work, but he had Jethro at home now. It sucked, but it was a fair trade.

He thought about how his team was going to freak out when he left, but he was just going to be across the bullpen. It wasn't like he would never see them again. He'd probably be around them just as much, training McGee to be an SFA, and getting Gibbs' advice on how to whip his agents into shape. The thought of him having agents caused a little smile to want to cross his lips. He felt guilty about it. He shook it off, putting the whole thought aside to deal with later when they got home.

He couldn't stop the barrage of other thoughts that came to mind, though. There was taking evidence to Abby, both past memories and future possibilities. He thought about sparring with Ziva and having trace wars with McGee without him realizing. He had yet to beat him, but he knew one day, if he tried hard enough, and if he thought about running the trace a solid five minutes before his royal techiness did, he would eventually win.

He thought about what he had said to Gibbs that morning. Christmas day, having dinner with the team at their house, opening presents together. They would have a safe place to come together to laugh, to have movie nights, game nights, summertime grill outs… he knew that Gibbs liked his solitude, but he also knew that was changing a bit.

"What happens when Simmons comes back?" Tony asked quietly, meeting Vance's eyes.

"I honestly don't know. We have a year to figure it out though. I am hoping we have an epiphany between now and then." Vance had that serious and honest look on his face again. It had Tony just as confused as everything else. _When did he start giving a damn about me?_ he wondered.

"I think we need to talk about this. Jethro and I, the team and I, Simmons and I… there's a lot of other people involved here. Simmons doesn't know about…?" Tony asked.

"Hell no. I'm not even sure that _I'm_ not having a weird, take-out induced dream. I wasn't about to inflict the confusion on anyone else. Your relationship, your life outside of the office, needs to stay outside of the office until we figure out what we're doing once Simmons comes back. Got it?" Tony nodded and got to his feet.

"I'd better caffeinate him before he morphs into something even more dangerous." Tony said gesturing to Jethro with a smile, trying to relieve some of the tension in the room.

"Tomorrow morning, I want you both in here for an update. Keep me in the loop. You have until then to decide if you're going to play the hand we're being dealt, or bow out of the game. If you can find an alternative, I'm open to it, but I need to know so that I can get someone in with Simmon's team."

Gibbs got to his feet next to Tony. He nodded at Vance and they turned to walk out together. "So, I should be expecting to see the change of address form sometime soon?" He asked, almost tentatively and in a much lighter tone.

"As soon as we know it's _safe."_ Gibbs muttered over his shoulder.

Tony knew that Gibbs was going to be a pain in the ass the rest of the day. He couldn't blame him, but he believed Vance when he said that he had been trying to find a way around this decision, and knew he had gone above and beyond, considering them as friends before agents. He knew that Morrow would have canned both of them, Jen would have found something to do with Tony in her jealousy, and the Vance of two years ago would have just shipped Tony off without any consideration of what it did to the team, and especially without caring about their relationship.

The two men approached the railing and looked down at the bullpen together. "You're ready for this." Gibbs said, stating it as fact, not as a question.

Tony nodded slowly. "Yeah. Doesn't mean I want it though." He looked up and watched Gibbs as he avoided looking back at him. "Let's go talk. Conference room?"

Gibbs nodded and turned to walk down the hall, not waiting for Tony.

Tony sighed. He knew he wasn't going to like this. Something was eating at Gibbs that he wasn't quite sure about. _Might as well go face the music. Rip it off like a band-aid._ He headed down the hallway and through the conference room door. Gibbs was leaning against the table, not looking up at him, hands in his pockets.

Tony felt his defenses rise. He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling all of the sudden that Jethro's anger was directed at him. He closed the door behind him and moved to stand right next to Jethro so that their shoulders touched.

"What are you thinking, Jethro?" he asked gently, trying to gauge his reaction.

"I don't know what to think, Tony." His voice was terse and Tony tried not to shrink back.

"Well, I think this sucks. Let's start there."

"Really? I'm not sure you do." Jethro's voice was cold and Tony bristled.

"You're mad at me for keeping my head in there? Seriously?" Tony moved to stand in front of Jethro, taking a deep breath. "Jethro, there's way too much going on for me to react any other way but logically right now. Emotionally- I'm numb. Jacobs, coming out to the team, now this… it's all way too much."

When Jethro still wouldn't look up at him, Tony slipped his hands under Jethro's jacket and around his waist. "I don't need you mad at me on top of everything else. I'll throw my temper tantrum later, when it's just us." That made Jethro's blue eyes look up into Tony's concerned gaze.

"This is going to be a big change. I don't have to like it, and I don't like it. But you deserve it. You've been ready for a long time."

Tony nodded once at Jethro's assessment, but he knew there was more, so he kept his mouth shut and let Jethro continue.

"I'm mad… because I didn't see that. I guess I feel like you should have told me. I didn't see that was something you wanted-"

Tony shook his head. "Jethro, I di-"

"Yes, you do. It _is_ something you want. I've been watching you all week. You're beyond ready. Hell, you're practically already doing it. And… and I don't know what I'm going to do when I lose you."

Tony was taken aback by Jethro's honesty. He hadn't thought that he wanted to lead another team. He was content in his position as an SFA. He had the pride that came with watching the probies grow, the trust that came with having Jethro's back, and the responsibility to watch over things whenever Jethro couldn't be there.

He had enjoyed the authority that came with being lead while Gibbs was away in Mexico, but it was a lot of responsibility. Could he handle it? Yes. Did he want to? He didn't think so. Was he going to step up to the plate now that he had been sent in to pinch hit? Yes.

"Jethro, I'm going to be on the other side of the divider. I'll be there whenever you need me. And when we come home at night, we'll actually have different stories to tell each other, but they won't be too different, just different enough to keep things interesting." He paused, looking down at Jethro's chest, wishing he could just curl up against it and sleep. He felt too far away from him, even with his hands around his waist.

"A lot has changed in the past nine days. This could be changing in a much worse way. I don't want to let the team go, but they've been more of a family to me than a team for a long time. We'll just have to work harder to spend time together outside of work."

"Somehow, now that we're both going home to the same place, I don't think we're going to have to try too hard." Jethro said, a small smile bypassing his anger and frustration. He slid his hands around Tony's waist and pulled him in for a tight embrace. He nuzzled Tony's neck and inhaled his scent. Tony had recognized by now that his lover did that for comfort, and he was guilty of the same.

"We're going to be okay, Jethro." Tony said softly, thumbs caressing the older man's back.

"That's all I need to know." Jethro said, standing up straight and releasing Tony.

"That simple, huh?" Tony said with a smile.

"If you say so, I trust that." Jethro's voice was sure, and that surprised Tony.

"Usually that's the other way around."

"You don't think I trust you?" Jethro asked.

"Most of the time, but to just have me say it's going to be okay… It's suddenly… I don't think anyone has ever put their faith in me like that."

Jethro heard the heavy weight of insecurity in Tony's voice, and saw it in his eyes. "Tony, listen to me." He moved forward and put his hands on Tony's shoulders. "Are you listening?"

Tony nodded.

Jethro's voice was low, but passionate. "Do you know how many times I have watched you talk to someone at a crime scene, telling them that it's going to be okay, and they just suddenly calm down? You don't even have to use those words. You have a way with people. They trust you immediately, because they can. When you let people see what I see, when you drop the façade you try so damned hard to hide behind, it's damn near impossible not to trust you. Ziva, Tim, Abby, Ducky, Palmer… they all trust you completely. If you could see what I saw when we were down there in the lab, you would know- they trust you not to lead them into a dangerous situation without protecting them. They will follow your lead… and your team will, too."

Tony swallowed hard and took a deep breath. His eyes never left Jethro's. He realized he was shaking, and after a moment, Jethro realized it too. "I may be ready to lead, Jethro, but I'm not ready to leave our team."

Jethro's arms came around him and pulled him close. Tony breathed in the scent of sawdust and coffee, letting it settle his nerves. No better drug had been created. He felt warm, safe, loved and protected. When he finally let go, he saw Jethro's determination to hold his own emotions in check in his eyes. Those eyes that could tell Tony anything he wanted if he just looked, were telling him that no matter how much it hurt, Jethro would have his back, would be there for him as he met this new challenge.

"Ya know, Simmons has been looking for a third person for her team for a while now. Care to apply?" Tony's smile broke the painful tension in the room and made Jethro chuckle.

"I think that would defeat the purpose, but it brings up another issue. I'm going to have to fill Ziva's spot when she and Tim both move up." Jethro's hands were back around Tony's waist, needing to feel him close.

"I plan on making Dorneget my third. Heard he has a big crush on me. I see fresh coffee on my desk every morning…" Tony felt the smack to the back of his head and laughed hard, his head collapsing against Jethro's forehead for a moment before his lips leaned forward and stole a kiss.

It was meant to be quick, but they needed the release. Jethro's tongue demanded access that Tony gave with abandon. They let their tongues slide over one another, feeling the slick texture of the muscle, hands suddenly grasping onto one another fiercely. Jethro had a hand pulling the hair on the back of Tony's head, and Tony's hands were pulling at the back side of Jethro's shirt trying to free it from his pants. It was incredibly hot and untamed, neither even thinking about getting it under control- until the door opened.

Suddenly, they were both standing five feet apart, looking at anything but each other, smoothing themselves down in an extremely obvious fashion. Tony's hair was sticking up in weird angles and Jethro's shirt was untucked all the way around. They both stole a look to see who it was that walked in on them, and sighed in relief when they saw Tim standing at the door, face red, mouth agape, and eyes staring at the floor.

"Just thought you guys should know that the pizza is here. Um. Yeah. That's all." Tim turned around and closed the door behind him.

Tony and Jethro looked at each other, both still breathing heavily. Before Tony could so much as think of a joke to crack, he was pushed back up against the wall, Jethro's mouth devouring him all over again. He groaned into the kiss, half-heartedly trying to push Jethro off, his push becoming a pull in a matter of seconds. The kiss deepened until Tony felt Jethro's tongue hitting the back of his throat. They broke apart to breathe a moment, Jethro's mouth moving to Tony's neck where he pushed his collar aside and bit hard in that way that he had found Tony loved, and marked him.

"You're mine Tony DiNozzo, and if I can't have you on my team, I'll have you like this, whenever I damn well please."

Tony groaned, loving the possessive nature of Jethro's words and the rough, needy voice with which he said them. "God, yes! Whenever you want me, Jethro. I'm yours."

Jethro continued his attack on Tony's mouth, reaching into his pocket for his handkerchief. He made quick work of Tony's belt and unbuttoned his pants. His hard cock sprung forth and Jethro's adept fingers began stroking from the base to the head in quick, rough passes, grazing the tip with his thumb each time. Tony gasped hard for air, unable to find a breath deep enough to satisfy his lungs' need. It took less than a minute for him to shiver and let out a low keening noise, the pleasure exploding up his spine and through his body.

"That's it, Tony. Come for me. You're mine. No one can take this from us." He continued to stroke Tony through the orgasm, milking him into his hanky, then kissing his mouth again with a much slower, gentler touch. He zipped Tony back into his pants, holding him up against the wall as he watched the blissful look on the younger man's face. "I want more than that tonight, and if Jacobs tries to get in the way of my plans, I'm going to kill him."

Tony heard the words through his haze and smiled.

Jethro pulled Tony away from the wall by the hand. "Come on. Time for lunch."

Tony stopped and pulled Jethro back into him for another gentle kiss. "I love you, Jethro. You have me for life. Hopefully it will make up for not having me on your team for a few more years."

Jethro looked tenderly at Tony. "Tony, I'd rather have you at home with me than at work with me, and if that's what it takes, then that's what it takes." He kissed him again gently. "I love you too much to turn back now."

Tony smiled at him. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't." Jethro knew that Tony's insecurities would always be there, and he was going to happily spend the rest of his life reaffirming Tony's place in it. He smiled at Tony and nodded his head to the door. "If we don't get down there soon, they're going to get the reason we're late out of McGee."

"Ah. Yes. Let's go." Tony headed towards the door and stopped again. "We're not telling them yet, right? I… I can't do that yet. I want to do it right."

"We don't have to tell them until you're ready, but you'd better do it soon. We don't want a repeat of this morning."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, especially if I only have three weeks until Simmons is desk-bound. I'll probably have to start working with her right away to get to know the team better. We can talk about all that later though."

Jethro swallowed hard and nodded. Tony gave him an understanding smile and opened the door. They headed down to Abby's lab, walking in to find everyone already eating pizza and chatting.

"Save me some sausage?" Tony asked, approaching their selections. Tim suddenly choked on the piece he was eating, turning his face, ears and neck red. Tony smirked and pounded his back. "Okay there Probie?"

Tim nodded and took a drink of his water. "Yeah." He coughed a few more times. "Went down wrong, that's all."

Ziva passed Tony a paper plate with two slices of pepperoni and sausage pizza on it. Gibbs snagged a piece directly from the box and leaned against the table. He was still feeling possessive and angry, but there was also a sense of comfort he found by being with the team like this. He knew that _this_ wouldn't change. They could still do this.

"Okay, McGee. How far has he gotten?" Tony asked before biting into his pizza.

"He's in D.C. and my phone is set to alert us if he gets anywhere near here, or any of our homes." Tim took another bite.

Tony watched him with assessing eyes. He knew Tim was going to make a great SFA. He would be completely different than Tony, but he was a quick thinker and had the team's best interests at heart. He was even more assertive with Gibbs these days. The thought helped ease Tony's nerves a little.

"So, he's here. Let's track everywhere he goes. If he stops to take a leak, I want to know where." Tony moved towards Abby's computers, watching her pull up the tracking data Tim had set up. He started working on the PC to the right that Tim normally worked on, pulling up Jacobs' finances.

Tim was behind him, ready to put his two cents in when Tony needed help, but found himself surprised when Tony got into the account alone. He hadn't taken the normal route since they didn't have a warrant, and Tim was impressed that Tony had remembered the sneaky way in.

"Been paying attention there Tony. Nicely done." Tim nodded his approval.

"Gotta say, never thought I'd need it." Tony felt Gibbs' eyes boring into the back of his head, but refrained from turning to return the stare.

"He got gas at the state line, and now it looks like he's eating at a deli. Whether or not he took it to-go is debatable, but I have a feeling we're going to find out." Tony's eyes scanned the list of charges, looking for a pattern to pinpoint Jacobs' comfort zones.

"He's no longer at the deli if this is right. It looks like he's in a parking garage by the subway station up on New Jersey Avenue." Abby said. She turned to Tim. Something was said to him with that look, and she moved to the side, letting Tim at her computer.

"Tony, I'm going to need that in a minute," he said.

Tony nodded and hit print on Jacobs' transaction ledger. He closed down what he had been doing and moved to let Tim have access. Tony picked up the papers off of the printer and Ziva snatched them, pencil already in hand to take over the review.

That's when Tony noticed that Ducky and Gibbs were standing off in a corner together, talking seriously and quietly. They both looked up at him and Tony knew that Gibbs had told Ducky about his reassignment. He wasn't angry. They had agreed that Ducky was Jethro's confidant and Tony was well aware of how badly his lover was in need of that right now. He gave Jethro his nod of approval and won a small smile from the older man.

By the time Tony turned back around, Tim had connection with the video cameras at the South Capitol commuter garage. Ziva, Jimmy, Gibbs and Ducky all headed for the screen, looking for the dark two-door with a sunroof. They found it fairly easily, helped greatly by the fact that Jacobs was standing against the trunk.

"Son of a bitch is baiting us." Tony said in disbelief.

"Then let's give him what he wants." Gibbs said. "Let's confront the bastard."

"We can't, Boss." Tim said. "Everything we've had to do to track him so far has been illegal without an open investigation, and given the nature of this situation, you two _cannot_ investigate one another's stalker."

Tony took a deep breath. "Not if we're on the same team," he said, looking at Gibbs whose expression suddenly lost all of its fire.

"You could always ask Agent Fornell to look into it for you," Jimmy said quietly.

Tony and Gibbs looked at him before looking back at one another. Everyone else turned and stared at Jimmy. "What?" he asked, turning a bright shade of red.

Tony nodded his head towards the back office and Gibbs moved to join him, leaving the others to wonder what was going on. They closed the door behind them and turned to face the wall so that Abby couldn't read their lips, which they knew she would, unable to contain her curiosity.

"There's a couple of snags here," Tony said. "If we ask Fornell, we risk our relationship getting out further than we can afford. I know you trust him, but one smart ass comment in the bullpen one day and someone might put the pieces together. If I officially go upstairs and accept the team lead for Simmons' team, we have to tell the team today what is going on. I know you want to confront him, hell, I wanna turn Ziva loose on him, but we can't go after him. Tim would end up taking way too much heat for this with all of the hacking he's done."

"He's done? What did you just do with his financials in there that had McGee looking at you like you had two heads?" Gibbs asked, unable to keep the question to himself any longer.

"He showed me how to hack people's accounts last year in case I needed it undercover. I haven't had to use it, he was just surprised I remembered. It's the way criminals hack into accounts, not the way we do it when we have a legitimate reason to. That's all." Tony said, trying to blow it off like it was nothing.

"Uh huh." Gibbs said, nudging him with his shoulder. "What else has he showed you?"

Tony's hand ran through his hair. "A lot actually. He's a lot better at it all though, so I've never had a reason to use it. What I can do in twenty minutes he can do in two. Just good stuff to know. I hope he'll train my…" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "That's way too weird to think about right now."

Gibbs growled a little in his chest and moved so that his hand clasped Tony's. Tony couldn't help the smile that stretched across his face. "I really do like you possessive. It's actually a big turn on. I wonder if they would notice if I were to just…"

"Don't! Even! Say it!" Gibbs snapped. "I can't take hearing it right now."

"Hmmm. Raincheck then." Tony's eyes leered down Gibbs' body, noticing the bulge forming in his pants. "Definitely to be cashed in soon." Tony let out a sharp breath. "Very soon."

"You have no idea." Gibbs was silent for a moment, trying to get himself under control. He still couldn't believe how much Tony could make him come undone. He wanted to claim him, right then and there, satisfying the ache of losing him on his team with the overwhelming consolation that he knew fully possessing his lover could give him.

Once he trusted himself to speak again, he said, "I think I would feel better about it all if we did talk to Fornell. He can be discreet when he has to be, and he's going to find out eventually. He's got Emily this weekend. That usually means he'll be down in the basement Sunday night after he has to take her home to bitch about Diane."

"Ahh. I didn't really think about that." Tony sighed. "I know you trust him, and if you think he can help, we'll call him. See if he can tail him or something." Tony felt a little better thinking that someone else would have their backs, despite it being Fornell. "We can't tell him about us over the phone though. You wanna make the call and have him come over here?"

Gibbs nodded and squeezed Tony's hand before he pulled his phone out.

"Jethro?" Tony said quietly.

Gibbs looked up at the sad look in Tony's face and his gut clenched. "I think I need to go tell Vance I accept. The sooner we aren't on the same team, the safer we'll both be in case this gets out." Tony couldn't believe he was saying that. It hurt somewhere deeper inside of him than he thought he'd ever feel. He saw the same look come across Gibbs' face and realized that he had stopped breathing for a moment.

"I really hate this, Tony." Gibbs' voice was so quiet that it didn't even sound like himself.

Tony felt his eyes misting up, and nodded. "I… I think I need to go tell the team." His voice cracked and he closed his eyes. His stomach started doing flips, tossing the pizza around inside. He took a couple of deep breaths and before he knew what was happening, he was wrapped tightly in Gibbs' arms. His own came around him tightly and he shuddered, the tears slipping over the edge. "I'm so sorry, Jethro."

"It's not your fault, Tony. Like I said, I'd rather have you at home than at work if I have to choose. I'm not letting you go. Let me call Fornell and we'll go tell them." Tony stepped back, wiped his eyes and watched Jethro make the call. It was a short exchange, and when Gibbs flipped the phone shut, he took Tony's hand. They stared deeply into one another's eyes for a moment, saying everything that had to be said with one of their looks, and then hand in hand, walked back into the lab.

"Abby. Close the door." Gibbs commanded quietly.

Abby looked up at their faces and Tony's red eyes, then at their joined hands. She felt the world stop on a dime. She reached over and grabbed the remote for the door and hit the button, locking them down. "What's going on Gibbs? Tony? What's wrong?" Her voice was shaky and everyone moved forward, crowding around her, Tim at her side and his hand slipping around her waist protectively.

"What's happened?" Tim asked, looking between them both before settling on Tony's eyes, shocked to see they were red and wet.

"We have to tell…" Tony started, his voice cracking again. Jethro squeezed his hand and Tony squeezed back.

"We have some news for you. We're not happy about this, but…" Jethro lost his voice too. He cleared his throat. "But it is out of our hands."

"Vance called us upstairs to talk earlier. He knows about Jethro and me, and he's taking me off the team." Tony felt himself shaking a bit and tried to concentrate on the feel of Jethro's hand in his.

"What?" Abby's voice came out soft and small. Tim's arms came around her from behind and held her tightly. His face looked as forlorn as Tony had ever seen it, and if at all possible, both he and Abby looked even paler.

Ziva was frozen in place, her face fallen and lost. Ducky moved to rub her shoulder, having already heard the news. Jimmy's mouth hung open in greater shock than it was that morning when he had found out about their relationship.

Tony took another deep breath and nodded. He stepped a little closer to Jethro so that their arms were against each other. "Simmons is pregnant, and he's making me interim team lead for her team until she gets back. Once she's back, I won't be returning to our team." His voice was low, and he felt numb from head to toe.

"You are really leaving us this time, aren't you?" Ziva asked. She swallowed hard and looked Tony in the eyes. He knew the team had become a family for her as well. Hell, he had gone halfway around the world, been drugged and had the shit kicked out of him to find her when her own family hadn't. He was more determined than ever to let her know that he would always be there when she needed him.

Tony let go of Jethro and moved to wrap her in a big hug. Abby and Tim moved to join them, throwing their arms around each other in a group. Jimmy came to stand next to them, putting a hand on Tim's shoulder and another on Ducky's, head hanging. Jethro stepped forward, not sure what to do. He wanted to comfort them, but he wasn't sure how when he felt like breaking down with them. His eyes met Ducky's. The M.E. nodded at him, encouraging him.

Gibbs moved forward and his hands rested on Abby and Tony's backs, trying to make comforting motions. He thought about the night that Mike died, finding his team wrapped together like this in the elevator. He had walked away then, letting them mourn together, unable to bring himself to mourn with them. He knew he was the backbone of the team, but Tony was the heart. He wondered how he was going to keep them together with Tony on the other side of the bullpen. He had come to rely on him for so much. The time Tony was afloat was some of the hardest time for the team. What were they going to do now?

He swallowed deeply, over and over, trying to clear his throat enough so that when the words came out, they sounded convincing. "We're going to get through this."

Tony nodded, squeezing Ziva a little tighter. "We will. It just really sucks."

Ziva 's head was still buried against him, her words muffled. "Are you sure that there is not something we can do?"

Tony shook his head. "Not that we can think of. Really, the Director should have had Jethro's job, and I should have been transferred out somewhere. The fact that he's promoting me, and letting Jethro stay is a miracle."

"That's what you do for family."

The voice made all of them turn around. They hadn't heard the door open. Ziva and Abby wiped their eyes. Tim's arms were once again tightly around Abby protectively, and Gibbs' hand was locked with Tony's, possessively pulling him closer, glaring at the intruder.

Vance looked as forlorn as they all felt. "I tried to find some way around it. There wasn't. If Simmons hadn't notified me this morning about the baby, I wouldn't have had any other option. I would have waited until someone else officially brought it to my attention, but I wouldn't have been able to let you two be on the same team anymore."

Gibbs met his stare squarely, finding nothing but honesty there. He didn't like it. A lie would have made it easier to hate Vance for breaking up his team. It would have given him something to aim his anger at, but he knew that Vance meant what he said. Tony had gotten that earlier when he had been too angry to think clearly. Vance has just called them family. He hadn't really thought of Vance as part of the team, but in that moment, he might concede to letting him be a cousin. _Maybe second cousin. Twice removed._

"I came to find out what's going on with Jacobs."

Tony saw the slight hesitation as Vance stepped forward.

"We're working on it, but we're bringing in a friend to help. From the outside." Tony answered for them.

Vance raised an eyebrow, looking at Gibbs. "You're letting someone from the outside handle this?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Not handle it, but help. We can't investigate each other's stalkers."

"No, but Simmons' team can. DiNozzo isn't officially lead yet until she's on leave, but he can always shadow the team as a get-to-know-them exercise that just happens to be while they are working your case." Vance suggested.

"That's walking a pretty thin line there, isn't it Director?" Tim asked, still firmly attached to Abby. Vance hadn't really taken notice of their closeness until that moment.

"Yep. It's up to you whether or not you want to walk it. It will fly here, but probably not in court. It all depends on what you expect the outcome to be." Vance looked at the team as a whole. "I should give you all some time. Come find me when you decide which wire you're going to walk on." He turned to walk away, and then stopped, facing them all again. "I know it's against your rules Gibbs, but for what it's worth, I'm really sorry it's all happening like this."

Jethro nodded a tiny bit at him, meeting his eyes, again finding himself surprised that he meant it. "It's not weakness when said between friends, Leon."

Vance wanted to smile at him, but couldn't. He'd felt like a cold bucket of water had been thrown on him when he punched in the code to the lab and walked in on the melancholy huddle. He knew that the team would take it badly, but he had expected anger, not… that. He turned around and headed back through the door, hearing it swish shut behind him, feeling for all intents and purposes like he had just ruined the best team in the agency, and separated a family.

The team turned to each other, stunned and dazed by the intrusion and events of the day.

Abby broke the silence. "Who in the hell was that?"

Tony looked at her and then cracked under the pressure, erupting in laughter. Everyone else followed suit, cackling until they cried. Even Gibbs was laughing, hysteria winning over the distress of the day.

"My second cousin." Gibbs finally choked out, and the laughter re-erupted at the uncharacteristic display. They succumbed to the giddiness, letting it move them along past the confusion, the anger, the sadness, the fear, the pain and the chaos. It finally stopped when the computer let out a loud beep.

Tim jumped up from where he was leaning face down on the lab table trying to catch his breath. He was at the computer bringing up the tracking screen with everyone huddling behind him within seconds. "He's moving again. He's… it looks like he's at the duck pond?" Tim sounded confused.

"Crap. He must have turned off the phone before he left the garage, figuring that was how we tracked him earlier. He didn't turn it back on until he was already this close to base to make a point." Tony shook his head. The room got serious again fast, the focus returning ten-fold. "He's testing us."

"Yeah, that or trying to fuck with your head again." Tim said under his breath, already trying to find a way into security cameras around the park.

Tony smirked. _Yeah, he's going to do just fine._ Tony looked up to find Jethro smirking as well and knew that he was thinking something along the same lines.

"Not letting him get into our heads, McGee. We're going to get into his." Gibbs was back to being his driven self, and Tony felt an immense pressure lifted off of his chest. "If you were him, what would you be planning?"

Tony looked at Gibbs, expecting an answer. When he didn't get one, he prodded. "You're the one with the Marine mentality, Boss. What would _you_ do?"

Gibbs stopped for a moment and thought it through. "I'd try to get me off my game. Get me to lose my focus. Then, when my head was elsewhere, I'd infiltrate. I'd…" Tony watched the light bulb go off in his lover's eyes, and immediately knew what was happening, following his train of thought.

"The phone is a decoy. He's turned it on at the park and left it there, or handed it off to someone. He's here already, or almost here. He's not with the phone anymore." Tony said. "We've had plenty else to distract us besides him. He could be here already."

Tim picked up the phone from Abby's desk and punch in four digits for security. "This is Special Agent McGee. I need to deny access immediately." There was a brief pause. "NO! I will not hold! What do you think immediately means?!" He shook his head, shooting an angry look at the phone before putting it back to his ear. "Staff Sergeant Ryan Jacobs. He's not to be on grounds unless his orders are cleared specifically with Director Vance, and even then, he must be escorted by no less than two guards… Yes, that's what I said. I also need it verified that he has not already entered the premises in the past two hours. I need to know five minutes ago. Keep me on the line." Tim hit the mute button and looked at them all, rolling his eyes. "I got that new guy!" He hit the mute button again. "Yes, I'm still here."

He turned back to the computer, bringing up the security cameras around the yard and shooting some to the plasma and layering others over top of one another on his screen. Abby was already pulling up the past hour of footage from the two main entrances, running through them in dual screen to see if she or Ziva could see the car.

"What do you mean you can't confirm whether or not he's come in? I don't care if he's gone home for the day, this is a threat situation. You need to get a hold of him and find out if he remembers letting Sergeant Jacobs in here!" Tony was impressed with the tone that Tim used. It reminded him of the time he went off on the auto shop that had been trying to screw him over.

His thoughts were interrupted by the swish of the doors opening again. Vance was back, this time bringing Fornell in with him. Gibbs nodded towards the back room, and Fornell followed him. Tony decided to let him break the news by himself this time.

Vance approached the group, standing next to Tony. "Agent Fornell is the outside help?" he asked quietly.

"He and Gibbs share an ex-wife. Who better to help ward off his stalker?" Tony joked and looked back at Tim whose face was starting to go completely blank. He had seen that look before. Tim was most dangerous that way. If Tim was that blank, he was having a hard time controlling himself, and if Tim was having a hard time controlling himself, then something was really wrong.

"Let me know as soon as you get more information." He hung up the phone gently and took a deep breath. He shook his head, bringing up the cameras and setting them to all show on the plasma in much smaller windows. "They have no idea if he came through the front entrance in the past hour. They can't get in touch with the last person on duty, and there's a lag in the system so it's going to be another ten to fifteen minutes before the transmission comes through with the ID scans for non-standard entries."

Tim's jaw was clenched and Abby reached over to squeeze his shoulder. She gave him a small smile. "It'll be okay Timmy. We'll know before then. Going through the video now." Tim closed his eyes a brief moment and nodded. Jimmy and Ducky were already in front of the plasma, scanning the entering vehicles for Jacob's car. Tim flipped over to the security scans around the duck pond, checking just to make sure he didn't see the car there. He didn't find it, but he hadn't expected to.

"What's going on? You think Jacobs is in the Yard?" Vance asked, watching as Tim and Abby worked the techie voodoo needed to scan the cameras.

"It's a possibility. His phone was turned off and then turned back on in a park closer to the yard. We believe it's a decoy, that he's intentionally left it there and has started heading towards the yard. It's not likely that he's already here, but it's very likely that he's going to show up anytime now." Tony said, arms crossed, watching the screens and trying not to think about what Gibbs and Fornell were talking about. He fully expected the conversation to result in a barrage of smart-ass commentary streaming from the Feeb before he could even make it out of the door to Abby's office, and was steeling himself against it.

"Do you have any idea what you're going to do with him if he does show up here?" Vance asked.

"Have Fornell take him in for questioning." Gibbs answered, appearing at their sides with Fornell.

"Under what premise?" Vance asked, turning to Fornell.

"Harassment/threatening of a federal agent, and then I'm going to see what else I can get him for." Fornell gave them a wicked smile and turned to look at the screen. "Those are your own cameras right?" he asked.

"Yes, they are." Tim said, making sure there wasn't anything on the screens that shouldn't be.

"Good, because I need to be able to testify under oath that we didn't break any warrant protocols."

"Testify? You think it's going to come to that?" Tony asked.

"When I get the restraining order, it might." Fornell moved forward towards the screen. "You got any pictures of this prick?"

Tim nodded and pulled up his file. "Here you go."

"DiNozzo does have a history of pissing off Marines, just never thought he'd be moving in with one," he said as he looked over the file.

Tony made a face at him, but honestly, he was glad for a bit of normalcy; Fornell had been way too familiar with them when he joined the group around the computers.

"That is all of the video from the past hour." Abby said.

"And no Jacobs. I have to say, that is comforting." Ziva said, turning to look at Tony and found that Gibbs, had come to stand next to him, his hand on the small of Tony's back. She smiled when she noticed the gesture, wondering how the way the two were constantly invading one another's space hadn't tipped her off to what was going on beneath the surface. It made her long to be safe at home with Dion, but he was going to be in Europe for the next two weeks. She turned to join Ducky and Palmer at the plasma, scanning the incoming footage and the security cameras throughout the yard. As she approached the screen, shouts rang up from Jimmy, Ducky and Tim.

"There he is! He's at the front gate."

Vance reached for the phone and dialed the front gate's extension. "This is Director Vance. Staff Sergeant Ryan Jacobs is about to approach the gate. I want him escorted to my office directly… Yes, by multiple guards." He looked back and forth between Tony and Gibbs, wondering what had been said to security already. Tony and Tim shared a quick glance and smirk.

Vance hung up the phone and looked at the people in the room. "DiNozzo, Gibbs, Fornell- my office. The rest of you can sit in the lobby if you like." He smiled as he turned around, thinking of Jacobs' face when he walked in to find the entirety of Team Gibbs waiting for his arrival.

In a way, Jacobs had reminded him of a combination of Gibbs and DiNozzo. He had Gibbs' Marine capabilities, and Tony's undercover smarts, playing up a personality around other people that would make them suspect he was harmless, though in reality, lethal. He couldn't help but relate that part to DiNozzo as well, thinking of all of the different angles he had learned he needed to look at the younger agent from in order to see the full picture. He was sure there were still sides he hadn't seen, and probably never would, but now at least he knew not to take him at face value. He was looking at Jacobs through the same kind of lens.

Vance headed up the stairs, Tony, Gibbs and Fornell heading up behind him. The rest of the group crowded into the elevator.

Once they reached the bullpen, each one took up a position along the route to the Director's office. Ducky waited at the elevator, and Jimmy waited by Ziva's desk in the bullpen. Tim waited at the bottom of the steps leading to MTAC, and Ziva headed up the stairs to wait at the top.

When the other men finally came through the staircase door, they found themselves walking through a line of defense. Tony looked at Gibbs and smiled. Gibbs nodded with his sideways grin and Fornell raised an eyebrow at him. They nodded to each of their people as they passed, knowing that the intimidation factor was as much for the satisfaction of each team member as it was for security purposes. It didn't take long before it was put into effect. As soon as the four men disappeared at the top of the steps, the elevator opened again, this time revealing three guards and a disgruntled looking Jacobs.

Ducky gave him a grave look and followed the detail as they headed for the steps. Palmer glared at him and followed them as well. Tim joined the parade as they ascended the stairs and Ziva turned and led the way to Vance's office once they reached the top. By time Jacobs reached the Director's door, he had gone from looking red-faced with anger, to pale and uncertain. Ziva opened the Director's door to reveal the four men standing in a line, waiting for him. She gave him an evil grin and silently pushed him into the room. He turned to look at the people standing in the lobby, lined up just like the men inside, creating a wall of angry agents and stern guards.

Ziva looked past Jacobs to the Director with an innocent smile. "If you need my expertise Director, we will all be waiting right out here."

Jacobs turned and looked from the Director and then back at Ziva. He had heard stories the past week about Ziva's history, and he wasn't looking forward to finding out what expertise she meant.

"Ziva, you know that's illegal in the States." Vance said sternly. Ziva shrugged.

"Thanks for the offer, but I've learned plenty from you. If we take that route, it's my honor." Tony's voice was cold and menacing again in that way that felt like nails on a chalkboard to Gibbs' ears.

"Very well." She closed the door behind her as she exited the doorway, flashing a smug smile to the team.

Abby bounded into the room and joined them as they all sat down in the chairs and couch in the small lobby, the guards leaving to stand outside the door. "What did I miss?" she asked, curling on the couch next to Tim.

"Ziva almost made him crap himself." Jimmy said. "Actually, she almost made _me_ crap myself. Can you teach me how to do that?" Jimmy said, sitting forward in his seat and looking at Ziva. A soft round of stifled laughter came up from around the room.

Behind the doors, Jacobs was standing, facing the line-up. Four pairs of eyes were trained on his every move. Vance moved over to the table and pressed the button underneath. The plasma on the wall came up, and he watched as the lockdown parameters were set. Tony, Gibbs and Fornell watched as Jacobs swallowed hard.

Vance turned back to Jacobs with a menacing smile. "So, Jacobs. What brings you by today? Just… wanted to chat?"

Jacobs stood stock still, the only thing moving was his gaze. His eyes danced back and forth between the men. Gibbs knew it for what it was, an assessment of his situation. He was afraid, but not of the men in the room, just of the possible outcomes of his very few options.

"Don't want to chat? Well, Agent Fornell here, from the FBI, has some questions for you. Why don't we all sit down and we'll see if you have the answers." Vance's voice was saccharine sweet, which to Jacobs, only amplified how much trouble he was in.

All of the men moved to the conference table, Jacobs reluctantly following behind them. The other men all sat down, watching Jacobs as he decided whether or not he was going to sit with them. "I think I want a lawyer," he said.

"Why? Do you think you've done something wrong?" Fornell asked nonchalantly.

"No." Jacobs' eyes flicked towards Gibbs, who without looking, reached out and took Tony's hand next to him under the table. Gibbs smirked at the sudden change in Jacobs' expression. Anger flared, but he watched him try to school it so that it didn't show. Jacobs pulled the chair out finally and sat down in it.

Fornell leaned forward on the table, and in a slightly condescending voice, began his spiel. "I'm not sure if you have heard about all of the trouble the NCIS MCRT has had over the years, but it's been a bitch. There's been kidnappings, stalkers, attempted murder, a couple of attempts at framing…" He looked at Tony and got a head nod.

"Yeah, that was fun," Tony said sarcastically and shook his head.

"We got through it, like everything else." Jethro said, looking him in the eyes with a smile and another hand squeeze. Tony knew that it was said to elicit a reaction from Jacobs, but he also saw the truth in Jethro's eyes as he said it. He nodded and took a deep breath. He knew that it was going to be him and Jethro against the world for the rest of their lives, even if they weren't able to do it from the same team.

Vance watched every move that Jacobs made through the exchange, reading every muscle twitch and nuance, profiling him every second. He saw the jealousy raging in Jacobs' eyes and the anger that set his jaw on edge for a moment before he took a deep breath through his nose and forced himself to relax. His eyes focused on Fornell after that, and the agent resumed talking.

"Well, they've had a really hard time with the wrong people getting a hold of their addresses, phone numbers, personal information et cetera. You know how it goes. So three years ago, after this suspect developed a thing for Agent DiNozzo-"

"My _third,_ count it, _**third**_ stalker since I joined this team." Tony interrupted.

"Well after she decided to start staking out his house, which eventually led to her arrest, we decided that some extra precautions should be put in place."

"They should have been in place after McGee ended up dating that Russian spy." Gibbs said. "My people have access to way too much information for it not to have been a matter of national security from day one." He looked genuinely pissed, and Tony wondered if the FBI wouldn't really start bugging their phones after this conversation.

"Agent Gibbs, we've been through this. It wouldn't have done us any good in Agent McGee's situation. He lived, let it go." Fornell said before turning back to Jacobs.

Vance watched the confusion settle over Jacobs' face. He tried hard not to smile or snicker at Jacobs' perplexed look as his agents and Fornell set the story they had cooked up in the stairwell. He was surprised to find the three worked so well together, but was not at all surprised to find that Jacobs had underestimated the MCRT's experience. He watched as Jacobs shifted in his seat a very little bit, but stopped, forcing himself not to fidget.

"Anyway," Fornell continued. "After that, we decided to run a continuous trace on the cell phones, GPS units, and laptops for every agent in the MCRT, including the evidence staff. They all signed waivers agreeing to be monitored. With what each of them have been through, I don't blame 'em, and now my team has them under surveillance."

"Keeping it out of house in case something ever happened to compromise them in house has been a really smart move." Vance tossed in, not looking away from Jacobs. "You just never know who you can trust these days, and it's saved Ziva's butt twice now." Tony and Gibbs picked up on the lie and nodded solemnly, exchanging a sad look, thinking about how much help it would have been if she would have been tracked like that during the CIRay debacle.

Fornell nodded in agreement. "With the information that these agents are privy to, it's a matter of national security to keep them safe. Despite what I know at least Agent David and Agent Gibbs have had to do to other people for information, I don't think either of them could really hold up to the torture themselves these days."

Tony and Gibbs looked at each other, both immediately thinking of Somalia. They knew Ziva had been tortured for weeks, and Tony hadn't gotten off as lightly as he made it seem.

Vance watched Jacobs' jaw flex at the thought, and knew that he had at one point had to inflict that kind of pain on somebody. What he couldn't tell is whether or not he was the sadistic type that found satisfaction in the work or not.

"We trace every single call that comes to their phones, including those from their teammates. Every single message that comes into their phones is traced. If the traced calls don't lead us to a name, we find a face using satellites, security cameras, and whatever resource we can get a hold of. We got word earlier of an odd message, and we traced it. When we contacted Agent DiNozzo here, we asked him if he had any ideas who the message could be from. When we connected the dots to _you_ he said he would take care of it. I let it go, knowing that Agent Gibbs would never let it get out of hand, and sure enough, when he found out what was happening, I was called back in. The trace continued and expanded, and we made a definitive connection- to you." Fornell's face suddenly lost all friendliness.

Vance watched at Jacobs hands clenched on his pants legs, otherwise not reacting to the change in Fornell's demeanor. He knew then that Jacobs had seen Fornell as a threat from the beginning. Jacobs' father had connections in the Navy, but he didn't in the FBI. Fornell's cold stare did very little else to change Jacobs' view of him. He already knew he was in trouble.

"We know that you just came back from an overseas operation where one of the operatives had been a double agent, betraying his country, his betrayal allowing pieces of a puzzle to fall into place that led to the bombing of an entire Afghani marketplace. For you to come back to the States, work on the operation from the inside, send a cryptic message to a member of the MCRT, and then suddenly abandon your post at Norfolk to drive to D.C. and attempt to infiltrate the Navy Yard… well it makes you look rather suspicious." Fornell tapped his fingers on the table quietly as he looked Jacobs in the eye, assessing him.

Vance saw Jacobs' Adam apple bob as he swallowed hard, and the color began to drain from the young Marine's face. He couldn't help the tiny smile he passed across the table to Agent's Gibbs and DiNozzo. It was all about to hit the fan.

"That's not…" he started. "The message had nothing to do with the op."

Fornell nodded a little and looked over at the other men. "Well, after talking with Supervisory Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo, I decided to talk to you first." Jacobs glanced at Tony for a moment at the use of his new title and his eyes widened. "They said you may have an alternate reason for the message and _visit_ ," he said, shooting a look at Vance before looking back at Jacobs. "And they said I should ask you about it before I brought you in under the Patriot Act for questioning."

The rest of the color drained from Jacobs' face and he looked like he was going to faint. Fornell smiled wickedly. "So, explain to me why I should believe that you're not a terrorist, Sergeant Jacobs."

The room fell silent. Gibbs' jaw locked tightly. The interrogation had been almost fun up to that point, but now that Jacobs was going to have to admit that he was attracted to him, he wasn't enjoying it anymore. He wanted to just get up and leave, let the explanation of what was really happening be between the Director and Fornell, but he knew he couldn't deny Tony the satisfaction of watching Jacobs squirm. The only problem was that he felt himself squirming on the inside as well.

"Last year," Jacobs began, choosing his words carefully. "I had been on an op with which I had worked closely with Supervisory Agent Gibbs via satellite fairly frequently. We had become pretty friendly, and it seemed somewhat flirtatious." Gibbs was seething. He had only been "flirtatious" once, and it was when Tony was in the room so that he could gauge _Tony's_ reaction. Apparently both Tony and Jacobs remembered that day as well, because the next thing Jacobs said was, "After he had not only continued the flirtation when Agent- er, Supervisory Agent DiNozzo came in to assist on the op, but had actually been _more_ open with his comments, I assumed he was out at… out of the closet that is, at work."

"You were trying to make me jealous!" Tony burst out, looking at Jethro with a wide smile. "You really are a bastard, you know that right?"

Jethro felt the tension break that was building inside of him and smiled back at Tony. "You wouldn't love me if I wasn't, and anyway, it worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah. It did." They stared back into each other's eyes for a moment, and Gibbs knew then that Tony wouldn't hold anything against him from Jacobs' "testimony". In the end, that was all that mattered. He leaned towards Tony a little bit and Tony leaned in towards him, their hands still clasped, and their eyes now drilling into Jacobs', who looked thoroughly defeated and angry at being used in such a way.

"When I returned to the States after this op, I assumed that if Supervisory Agent Gibbs was out enough to flirt in front of his agents, he would be out enough that people would know if he was seeing someone. When no one was able to confirm that he wasn't single, I pursued him. When we all went to dinner last week, it appeared that Supervisory Agent DiNozzo was flirting with him, but wasn't getting anything more than a professional response between friends, and I took that as a signal that he was still available. When Agent DiNozzo warned me away from Agent Gibbs on the way home, I felt it wasn't his place to get between…" Gibbs began glaring at Jacobs with renewed fervor. He felt a rage boiling inside, but wasn't sure where it was coming from.

"Well... obviously I read that wrong. When I hadn't heard from Agent Gibbs since being re-stationed, I figured Agent DiNozzo had something to do with it, but I didn't think it was…"

"You saw what you wanted to see," Gibbs practically shouted across the table. Tony squeezed his hand, signaling for him to calm down. "You didn't give a damn about what was standing in your way until _now_. My partner warns you off, TWICE, and you come up here like you're just going to take something that belongs to you." Jethro got to his feet and Tony was right after him, pulling him back away from the table and towards the side of the room. "News flash! I am not a thing! I am a person! And you have my entire team in shambles wondering what the hell…" Tony had Gibbs in the corner, Vance and Fornell both staring at Gibbs in surprise.

"Jethro! That's enough!" Tony shouted, finally getting the older man to turn and look at him. Tony's hand reached up and caressed the side of Jethro's face in concern. The look in Jethro's eyes was not one he had ever seen, and it scared him. His voice was almost a whisper as he calmed him. "The only person who gets to see you lose control is me. Got it?" He watched as Jethro took a deep breath and closed his eyes, swallowing hard.

Jethro's eyes opened, they never left Tony's as he addressed Fornell. "Is that all you need us for, Fornell?"

Fornell's voice was quiet as he answered. "Yeah. We'll have the restraining order in an hour."

Vance was back to profiling Jacobs as Fornell said restraining order. Jacobs' head landed in his hands, running up and through his hair in desperate frustration. "We have a lot to talk about Sergeant Jacobs." Vance said, his voice so ice cold that even Tony and Jethro looked over. His hand reached under the table to hit the lockdown deactivation button, and Fornell joined Tony and Jethro as they headed for the door.

They stepped into the lobby, and the entire team got to their feet. The three men stopped right outside the door, letting it close behind them. "So? What happened?" Abby asked, not sure whether to be concerned about the looks she saw on Tony and Gibbs' faces.

"The Director is tearing him a new one, and we got our restraining order," Tony said as cheerfully as he could. A round of hurrahs drifted up around the room and Abby clapped before throwing her arms around both of them in a hug.

"We're going home," Tony announced. "We'll see you guys in the morning." Gibbs raised an eyebrow at Tony, but Tony's hand was on his back, pushing him along and through the outer door towards the bullpen. Fornell watched them leave, knowing that something had just happened in there that went well beyond the show they had been putting on. It had him staring at the door after it had closed behind him.

"Fornell. What happened?" Tim asked, knowing that something had happened that had the Feeb worried. The rest of the team watched closely, waiting for his answer.

Fornell just shook his head and stared at the door. "I have no idea what just happened in there." He paused and then turned to face Tim's questioning stare. "I don't know if I want to know, McGee." He left the team standing in the lobby, subdued, and walked out the door.


	17. Chapter 17

Tony and Jethro stopped by their desks to grab their things, and then headed for the elevator. They waited for it in silence. They were both relieved when the doors opened and they saw that the lift was empty. Once the doors closed them in, they wrapped each other in a quick hug that was only meant to last the time it took to get to the garage. The ding that announced their arrival made them separate, and they headed out into the lot.

Tony's phone chimed to announce a text as he got into the car. He sighed and unlocked the phone as Jethro got in on the other side. It was from Tim.

_Let me know if you need to talk._

Tony smiled a half smile.

_Will do. Thanks, Tim._

Jethro gave him a questioning look before turning over the ignition.

"Just Tim offering his services," Tony said. "The listening kind, not the techie… you know."

Jethro nodded his understanding. He wished that he understood what was going on in his own head. It was spinning with the events of the day. What confused him the most was his outburst just now during their confrontation with Jacobs. He wasn't sure what had happened to make him snap. He thought about Tony's eyes locked on his after he pulled him away from the table. Cool green eyes, grounding him… but it was what he said that had really put him in check.

_"The only person who gets to see you lose control is me. Got it?"_

It was a demand, controlling and possessive. He had felt possessive of Tony all day, and in that one line, Tony had showed an equal possessiveness that finally satisfied a need that he didn't even realize he had. He was Tony's as much as Tony was his.

He found it odd that Jacobs' tone made him feel like an object and angered him enough to spout off, yet when Tony finally made him feel possessed, he felt wanted, loved, and protected. He looked over to find Tony staring at him, a question patiently waiting on his partner's mind.

"I can't figure out what you're thinking. I usually know what's going on in there, but right now… I'm drawing a blank."

"That's because I'm not really sure what's going on either," Gibbs said, chuckling quietly.

"Well, then don't expect me to know what to do next. All I know is that I couldn't be _there_ anymore." Tony motioned behind them with his head.

"Oh, trust me- I know what to do." Jethro gave Tony's body such a leer that it gave the younger man the chills. Jethro smiled and reached out for Tony's hand. Their fingers folded together and Jethro squeezed.

"This?" he said, lifting their hands a bit. "This is mine, and so is everything attached to it."

"For as long as you'll keep it," Tony said with a smile. "The same works in reverse you know. You belong to me, too."

"Yeah, I think I got that picture today." Jethro smiled as he turned to look out the window. He felt a surprising warmth creeping over his face. He had had plenty of people watch his back while in the field, though none that he had trusted as much as Tony. This was different. Tony had stood up for him multiple times on a personal level now, and had worked extremely hard to defend him. He knew he would do the same for Tony in a heartbeat, but he wasn't used to being the one protected.

He wondered why he hadn't just told Jacobs' off from the beginning, making his position clear from the get-go. _Because it came out of nowhere,_ he thought. He had gone a decade wanting Tony, and as soon as he finally allowed himself to have a relationship with him, Jacobs was there, offering him the same old under the table action that he had always been convinced was all he could ever have with a man.

He had been given a choice and he had decided to choose Tony, to choose something that meant more, to believe that he could deserve to be something more to a man. He had spent the past ten years battling with himself, telling himself that he wasn't the type that could have a relationship with another man. He had told himself that the younger generations did that; his hid behind casual encounters and lies. He wasn't sure which generation Tony was a part of. He hadn't been able to figure it out. Taking that leap with Tony that night at the bar was the first time in his life that he had been able to accept that he was allowed to want that, too. He could want something more than sex from a man, and he believed that he deserved to at least try to be happy.

He thought about how much time was wasted not having Tony in his life like this, but Tony had obviously had his own issues to work out as well. Jeanne, EJ, even Wendy each had to be cleaned from his slate. He had known from the beginning that EJ was the type that Tony could have _settled_ for. They could have made it work. He wouldn't have been truly happy though.

Jethro knew that Tony had been genuinely happy this past week. He had waited ten years to see that look on Tony's face that he saw the morning after Saint Patrick's Day when they had woken up together. He wanted to make sure Tony looked that way every single day, and felt wanted every single moment. He meant what he had said to Abby; he was finally getting this right, and he wasn't going to let some insecurity keep him away from his happiness any longer.

They pulled into the driveway and Jethro turned to Tony with a real smile. He nodded his head towards the house and let go of Tony's hand in order to get out of the car.

Tony's eyebrows rose as he watched Jethro head towards the house. He climbed out of the car, hurrying to catch up with him, and made it through the door right behind him.

Jethro was already rushing up the steps towards the bedroom. Tony closed the door and put the coat rack in front of it so that if someone came in, it would tip over and give them some kind of warning. There still wasn't a lock on the door, but Tony wasn't about to let that stop them.

Tony took the stairs two at a time, walking in as Jethro was slipping out of his jacket. He moved up behind him, resting his hands on Jethro's shoulders, making him pause. Tony leaned into him from behind, placing a suckling kiss on his neck. He slowly ran his hands down the strong arms, slipping the jacket off and taking it, tossing it towards the dresser. He immediately returned to being pressed up against Jethro's back, arms coming around his waist. He purred a bit when Jethro leaned back against him, putting his hands over Tony's on his stomach.

Tony rested his head on Jethro's shoulder, breathing him in before suckling again on his neck in little kisses. He heard Jethro sigh deeply and felt tight shoulders and back start to relax under him. "Are you okay, Jethro?" Tony asked softly, honest concern in his voice.

Jethro closed his eyes and leaned his head to rest on Tony's. He hadn't felt so open with someone since Shannon. She had always known when he had reached the end of his rope. It wasn't something that happened often, but somehow, she would always be able to make him tell her the truth with her gentle firmness, and Tony had that same effect, only with the added benefit of understanding the job, the frustration with the politics of it all, and the pain they had witnessed together. He wouldn't have to explain it this time, Tony would just know.

"I will be." Jethro's answer was honest, and Tony wondered what it had cost him. "Are you okay?" Jethro whispered.

"Not really." Tony replied, feeling an honest answer was the only one he could give. "This helps though."

Jethro nodded the tiniest bit. "Yeah, it does."

Tony's arms tightened around Jethro's waist, and pulled him as tightly against him as possible. "I'm never letting you go." Tony said it with both fact and promise in his voice, and Jethro couldn't fight off the shiver than ran down his spine. "I can't. I need you."

Jethro sighed again, the unmistakable sound of relief connecting with the need in Tony. Being together was all they needed. Jethro turned in Tony's arms, his hands coming up to Tony's shoulders and running down his biceps, blue eyes meeting green. There was nothing left to say, everything being said in that look. Jethro's forehead dropped against Tony's and his arms came around him, holding him in return. They stood together like that a long time, just taking in being with one another until Jethro leaned forward just a little bit, and placed a gentle kiss on Tony's lips.

Tony kissed him back tenderly, catching Jethro's upper lip between his and sucking just a bit before releasing it, letting Jethro take the lead a moment. For all of the fiery, passionate love they had made, and all of the fierce and desperate kisses they had shared, this slow, building exchange was even better.

Their lips pulled on one another, feeling the juicy flesh swell a bit under the pleasure. Jethro was the first to enter his tongue into the mix, barely licking Tony's bottom lip, causing him to gasp, and then Jethro's teeth took the lip between them gently, nipping lightly. Tony returned the favor to Jethro's top lip with his teeth, but didn't let go right away, causing a low rumble to escape the older man.

Jethro's arms were around Tony's neck, fingers running up into Tony's hair, pulling with just enough force to move Tony's head as they kissed, but not enough to inflict any pain. Tony loved the way it felt, sending goose bumps up his arms.

Their lips finally locked in a deeper kiss, Tony's tongue searching out Jethro's and twisting around it slowly. The muscle slid across the top, sides and bottom of Jethro's in a dance that had become familiar, but still sent its heat deep. Tony retracted his tongue, only to have it sought out by Jethro's.

Tony's hands began slowly pulling Jethro's shirt from his pants, letting his hands caress the spot on Jethro's sides above his hips that he knew was a hot spot for him. Jethro shivered into the kiss, his temperature rising even more. Tony's fingers danced lightly across Jethro's sides and up his back until they reached his strong shoulders. His hands grasped them firmly, feeling each muscle move as their kisses continued. It made him ache to feel that body against his, muscle for muscle.

He finally broke the kiss, his chest heaving as he tried to take in air. Jethro's breathing was also shorter than usual and Tony noticed just how dilated his eyes were. They were almost as black as they were blue and Tony felt his breath catch in his chest for a moment before he croaked out, "Shirt, off."

Jethro's eyes were locked on Tony's. He had never seen anything so mesmerizing. The shirts came up, blocking his view for a moment, but as soon as they passed his face, he found those eyes again. Without breaking contact with them, his fingers reached up and fingered the buttons in Tony's shirt slowly, opening it to reveal his toned chest, smattered with soft, dark hair. When all of the buttons had been opened, he let his hands rest against Tony's stomach and ran his fingers up into the crinkly hair, feeling Tony's heart racing under his touch until he located Tony's nipples.

Their eyes still locked, Jethro pinched them, causing Tony to groan and bite his lower lip, but he fought to keep his eyes open. There was nothing more important in that moment to Jethro than making his lover know just how important he was to him, and he was going to do whatever he had to do to prove it, causing as much pleasure for him as possible.

Tony leaned into the Jethro's touch, his hands skimming his lover's sides again until he met his waist, when his fingers grasped the waistband of his pants and his belt. He used the grasp to suddenly jerk Jethro against him, making their groins, stomachs and chests collide. Jethro groaned and dropped his mouth to Tony's throat, taking what was his. Tony kept his grip on Jethro's belt as he turned himself over to the ecstasy, ready to finally let go of the day.

Jethro nibbled and kissed Tony's neck, inhaling his scent as it mixed with the sweat that was beginning to form on his body in a soft sheen under the intense heat they were now sharing being pressed together. He licked up the thick line of muscle alongside of Tony's neck to his ear, and then took his lobe gently between his teeth, growling low. Tony felt himself coming undone under Jethro's touch. He let go, feeling the world slip away around them, focusing solely on that touch- the touch of strong hands on his back and neck, and of tongue, lips and teeth sending tinges of pleasure down his neck and shoulder.

He chewed on his lower lip, lost to the sensations. Jethro's demanding pressure on his neck made Tony tilt his head so that his lover had better access. His body was on fire and his stomach and chest began sliding against Jethro's with the sweat forming there between them. He reached for Jethro's belt, wanting to free them of their pants and gain more contact, but Jethro's hands were on his in a flash, leaving his neck and back bereft in the loss of his touch. Tony couldn't help the whimper that escaped him.

"No." Jethro said, his voice firm, his eyes locked again on Tony's. "You're mine tonight, to do with what I want." He pulled Tony the few steps to the bed and Tony found himself bouncing against the mattress before Jethro's body was over his. His hands were pulled up and over his head. "Leave them there."

Tony could only nod, the breath in his chest coming in deep, shallow pants. Jethro gave him a wolfish smile. "That's what I like to hear-" his mouth moved to Tony's ear. "Silence." The husky whisper in Tony's ear made him gasp. "The only thing I want to hear out of you is my name coming from those incredible lips when I make you come." Tony shivered and let himself melt into the mattress. His eyes closed, submitting to the demands of his lover and the needs within himself to have someone else in control after such an overwhelming day.

Jethro kissed Tony's neck again, but this time bit hard causing Tony to arch up into him involuntarily. He chewed his lip, fighting back the moan and restraining himself from running his hands through Jethro's hair.

Jethro couldn't help the smirk that came across his face as he looked down at his lover's desperate expression. "Don't worry, I'm going to take care of that… that hunger, that ache…" His voice was raspy as he ran his hands down Tony's torso, stopping right before his beltline, playing his hands across the ridges of Tony's stomach, making him squirm. In one smooth movement, his left leg moved so that he now straddled the younger man, their crotches firmly against one another. Jethro tossed his head back, relishing in the feeling. He let out an exaggerated sigh and moan, emphasizing a sound that Tony wasn't allowed to make as he rocked against the hard cock beneath him.

Tony's mouth was agape, his breathing becoming more and more shallow, feeling the invisible reins that Jethro had on his passion, his body, his voice. The vision of Jethro rocking on top of him, still in his slacks, shirtless, eyes dark in the dim lamplight, body glowing with a hint of sweat, had him enthralled. He'd do anything, or in this case, not do anything, as long as it would please his lover.

Jethro's hands landed on Tony's chest as he fell forward, pushing Tony deeper into the mattress. His smirk faded as he leaned down, his lips an inch away from Tony's. His eyes searched Tony's face and he saw Tony's jaw flex as he swallowed hard. Jethro's lips moved to Tony's, teasing them apart with his tongue. Tony's lips parted involuntarily, letting Jethro have all the access he needed to devour him. The kiss turned passionate and dominating and Tony had to stifle another moan. He needed more, needed to touch Jethro, but as soon as his hands started to lift he remembered he wasn't supposed to move and jerked them back above his head, eyes closing tightly, taking a sharp breath through his nose.

"Atta boy. Keep them there or I'll have to tie them down." Tony couldn't keep the low groan the rumbled in his chest despite clamping his mouth shut as tightly as possible.

"You like that idea, don't you? Being tied down, completely at my mercy…" Jethro's hands were all over Tony's body, feeling every defined muscle, every small scar, every bit of skin he could. Jethro moved again so that he wasn't on top of Tony any longer, but next to him. He pulled him, urging him to move so that he lay with his head on the pillows instead of across the bed. He straddled him again once Tony was in a comfortable position, and then reached for Tony's belt, undoing it and pulling it from his pants. Tony arched up to let it slide out from underneath him, which meant his throbbing cock coming into contact with the hard bulge in his lover's pants. His eyes immediately rolled into the back of his head.

Jethro took Tony's hands and wrapped the belt around one, feeling it through the buckle. He fed the other end through the slats of the headboard and then wrapped Tony's other hand in it, feeding it back through the buckle twice, effectively restricting his hands to the headboard. The slight pain of the leather against his wrists when he pulled caused Tony to inhale sharply.

"Now, where was I?" Jethro's mouth found Tony's nipple through his chest hair, licking it, then blowing on it. He gently used his teeth to tug on it, making it stand even taller before moving to repeat the actions on the other one. Tony's ragged breathing was the only other sound in the room. Jethro felt the trust Tony was placing in him and the power that flowed through him to be in control of such a strong, capable man, coursed through him like electricity. _This_ was exactly what he needed.

Jethro felt Tony's heart beating wildly under his mouth as he worked on his nipple, teasing and torturing Tony with the pleasure. He let his hands explore the younger body under him, touching anywhere he damn well pleased. His fingers unbuttoned Tony's pants and played with the hair at the very top edges of Tony's groin. Tony arched into the touch and Jethro's other hand was quick to stop the motion, a firm hand on his hip.

Looking up into Tony's face with an expression of disproval, he saw Tony's eyes already conveying a silent apology, while still being able to beg for more. It was enough to set him off. He was done exploring. He wanted more- much more.

His eyes locked on Tony's, he grabbed Tony's waist at the sides, and, digging his nails into him with the firmness of his grasp, he raked his hands down quickly, jerking Tony's pants to his feet, leaving nail marks in Tony's hips as he de-pantsed him. Tony didn't break eye contact, and that just fueled the fire. Jethro could see just how much his lover was hungry for this; he saw how much Tony needed to turn over all control, how much he wanted to be taken, possessed.

Stepping out of bed to pull Tony's pants off of his feet, Jethro stopped and took in the sight in front of him while slowly unbuckling his own belt.

Tony's eyes moved to Jethro's hands, watching him slowly remove his own pants, knowing that the drawn out process was for his benefit, meant to make his inability to take action even more agonizing. He shifted under the weight of Jethro's stare, jerking his hands as his cock twitched at the sight of Jethro fully unclothed. The stabbing pain that went through his wrists quickly changed to a burning pleasure. It took him by surprise and he bit his lip hard.

He'd had lovers tie him up before, but this was different. He'd never felt the pain turn into pleasure like that. He had never felt the trust he had in Jethro with another lover, so his guard had never been able to be completely let down, and any pain inflicted had been uncomfortable instead of pleasurable. He knew they would have to do this again, if Jethro ever let him go, but at the moment, he fully believed that he could stay tied up like that for the rest of his life and he wouldn't be upset for a moment of it.

Jethro crawled back up into bed, reaching over Tony into the nightstand for the lube. They were going to need it, but first, he had other plans. He moved to straddle Tony's chest, facing away from him, and bent his face over Tony's leaking cock. Tony was caught off guard with the tease of Jethro's own cock just inches out of reach of his mouth. He didn't have too much time to think about it though as Jethro took Tony's head into his mouth, licking around the edges and then up over the slit at the tip, cleaning off every bit of pre-cum with his tongue.

The only reason why Tony didn't make a sound was because it was caught in his throat with the sharp intake of breath. He felt his eyes roll up into the back of his head and then after that, the only sensation was the amazing things that his lover was doing to him. Jethro's tongue swirled around his head and then down his shaft as he swallowed him deep and quick. Bobbing over Tony a dozen times had the younger man ready to explode. Jethro knew it and wrapped a firm thumb and forefinger around the base of his lover's cock, squeezing tightly and holding him off while he feasted.

Tony lost all sense of reality. All he could feel was the pleasure coursing through his body in waves until it felt like he was drowning deeply in it. Jethro stopped sucking him off but kept his finger and thumb around the base of his shaft, cutting off the orgasm for a moment until it began to subside just enough to bring Tony back to his senses. Tony suddenly gasped, not realizing he hadn't been breathing.

Jethro moved to the other end of the bed, and flipped the cap on the lube. He slicked up a couple of fingers and found Tony's puckering hole, slipping first one in, and a few seconds later, a second. It didn't take long to scissor Tony open enough to take his girth. He watched at Tony's eyes closed, his mouth open in a gasping gape. He took his fingers out of Tony's tight ass and watched the expression on his face change to one of incredible loss. "Be ready." Jethro growled so lowly that he barely heard himself.

He lubed up his cock, closing his own eyes at the contact. He placed his head against Tony's hole, then pushed in slowly. Tony gasped and Jethro lunged inside of him at just the right angle to hit his lover's prostate. Tony jerked up off the bed and Jethro groaned loudly. All restraint was gone after that. Jethro pounded in and out of his lover while Tony pulled against the belt, thrusting against the assault, begging for more without words. Jethro pulled Tony's legs up and onto his shoulders so he could slam into him deeper. Tony couldn't keep the quick moaning gasps from escaping, but Jethro didn't care at this point. He wanted to hear it, wanted to hear everything his lover felt. He was so close himself, completely lost in the sensation of Tony's tight warmth around him, freely given to impale himself on.

"You're mine, Tony." Jethro said between thrusts and pants. "All mine. Only mine."

"Jethro!" Tony screamed out as he came harder than he had ever come in his life.

Thrusting a few more times as Tony's sphincter contracted around him tightly, Jethro let out a loud feral growl as he plunged one last time into Tony's ass, coming inside of him.

Jethro fell forward, his arms barely holding him up as he hovered over Tony's face, both of them gasping for breath. He was waiting for Tony's eyes to open. He needed to look into them, needed Tony to see what he was feeling because he didn't have words for it.

Tony's eyes fluttered open and found the blue ones staring down at him. What he saw was the promise that Jethro would never let him fall, that he'd never leave him behind, never let him go, never give up on him. Tony realized that for the first time ever, he believed that promise, and it didn't even have to be said. The words never had to leave Jethro's mouth- it was just known.

Jethro saw the acknowledgement on Tony's face, felt it in the trembling body below him, heard it in the shallow breaths of his lover and knew it somewhere so deep that he knew he would never forget it. Tony really did trust him, and Jethro knew he would try harder than he had ever tried before to not let him down. He dipped down and took Tony's mouth in an engulfing kiss, sealing the promise and relishing in the taste of Tony's mouth. Once the kiss broke, he moved to lie next to Tony, reaching up to untie his hands.

Tony's arms came down and he wrapped them around his lover, pulling him close. Jethro rolled onto his back and pulled Tony down onto his chest. Tony's head lay across Jethro's heart and they laid there until they fell into a blissful sleep.

Tony woke up to his stomach rumbling and Jethro's hand running through his hair. He was smiling before he even knew he was awake, feeling completely at peace, as if everything was going to be okay.

"You must be hungry," Jethro said with a chuckle, dropping a kiss on Tony's head.

"Eh, maybe," Tony said, receiving a feather-light head slap. He chuckled and tucked his body into Jethro's. "Okay, I'm hungry, but not hungry enough to get out of bed. I like it here."

"Good, 'cause you're staying."

"I meant being held by you!" Tony smacked Jethro's chest as lightly as he had been smacked in the head. Jethro's arms came around him in response, pulling him closer, holding him tightly.

"We are going to have to work at managing our time, because I have to have this every day," Tony said, his fingers tracing patterns across Jethro's chest.

"That's going to be harder now, but we'll make it happen." Jethro took Tony's hand from his chest and kissed it. He still didn't like the idea of Tony leaving the team, but it was better than losing him to the Feebs if Vance had canned them or tried to send him afloat again.

"I think I should go back to the office. I really need to go through all of that video of Melinda Stafford's shrink sessions. See what else she may be hiding before the trail goes any colder." Tony sighed, turning his head to kiss Jethro's chest.

"Want some company?" Jethro asked.

"I will never turn down your company, Jethro. How could I?" Tony sat up a bit and gave Jethro a promising kiss. It was over much too quickly for both of them, but Jethro's stomach chose that moment to begin grumbling.

"Let's grab some dinner on the way," Jethro said after the noise made them both pause.

Tony laughed and rolled out of bed. "Sounds good," he stretched and headed for the shower. He turned the water to hot and grabbed a towel from the small closet. He turned around to find Jethro leaning against the doorframe taking him in.

"Are you here to cause trouble?" Tony asked playfully.

"Nope, just taking in the view." Jethro's eyes wandered shamelessly across Tony's form.

"Surrre. Like I believe that." Tony slipped into the shower and under the water. When he rotated to let the water run over his hair and back, he realized that Jethro was leaning against the sink, arms and ankles crossed, indeed, taking in the view.

Tony sat the soap down and pulled back the edge of the clear curtain. "How do you manage to get such a reaction out of me by just standing there? And how is that not causing trouble?"

"Because I'm not just standing here. I'm taking in every inch of your wet body, memorizing it, savoring it…" Jethro's voice was rough as it trailed off, blue eyes blazing as he stared at Tony's body.

Tony groaned and thrust the curtain shut. "You're impossible!" He grabbed the soap and began lathering up. "If I sat there watching you, I'd be hard as a rock, and I would already have been in here molesting you. The famous Leroy Jethro Gibbs discipline though… not much can make you lose control."

The curtain opened and Tony dropped the soap as he was pressed against the wall.

"I'm only allowed to lose control with you, remember?" Jethro ran his nose up Tony's neck, trying to inhale him. "Remember the first time we were in this position?"

Tony whimpered and nodded.

"You make it impossible to stay in control. Even when you let me take charge, you always have the control, because I can't say no to what I want to do to you."

Tony didn't even mind being pressed against the cold tile at that moment. He groaned. "I definitely remember." He shivered as Jethro's lips dipped to kiss and nibble on his shoulder. "I'm going to remember that in the grave." Jethro kept his assault going, working his way from one shoulder, across Tony's neck, and then the other shoulder.

Tony suddenly put his hand up in a motion that meant to pause and Gibbs' head fell against Tony's back. They both groaned. Both of their phones were ringing in the next room. "Worst timing ever!" Tony growled out in frustration.

Jethro shook his head and grabbed the soap from the floor, giving it a quick rub over him as Tony grabbed his towel and shuffled towards the bedroom. Jethro was behind him by less than a minute, drying off quickly and silently assessing Tony's side of the phone call. Whatever it was sounded pretty serious. Tony shuffled in Jethro's jacket, looking for his little notebook and pen. He took down some notes and then hung up the phone. He turned to look at Jethro, his expression letting Jethro know that it definitely was not good.

"Their calling Simmons' team out, too."

"What the hell is going on?" Jethro said, moving to throw clothes on. Tony began shuffling around to do the same.

"Don't know too many details, as usual, but it looks like the three letter crew has stumbled upon something, and they're calling in the big guns. We're to report to the Navy Yard and head out from there." Tony didn't question the order given, but he did question why both teams were being called out. Was this Vance's call? Was it just a fluke that Simmons' team was the one they were paired with tonight?

Gibbs wondered the same thing. Why would they call Simmons' team out instead of Balboas'? Vance had just said that Simmons' team was a couple of field-green probies. Gibbs wished that they'd had the time to look over their personnel files at some point during their chaotic day, but there hadn't been a few minutes peace in the turmoil. Tony must have been thinking the same thing, because before Gibbs could even voice his concern, he had his phone against his ear.

"Probie. Hey. I need a favor." Gibbs couldn't help the small smile that came across his face. Tony was going to make a damned good lead, no matter how much he hated to lose him.

* * *

They drove together to the Yard, not really giving a damn at that point who they encountered along the way. Thankfully, Tim had been at Abby's and as he drove, she gave them a rundown of the personnel files of the two people that would be under Tony's command in a couple of weeks. Tony's phone was on speaker so both he and Gibbs could hear, and he could tell that Abby and Tim were set for it as well.

"Gregory Parke is 29 and his background is a lot of profiling. You're going to have to be careful around him, and by you, I mean both of you. He's going to be able to sniff out your relationship in a heartbeat it looks like. He has his doctorate in criminal psychology and a second bachelor's in social work. He's definitely a people person, but it seems you won't get that at first. He's the sit-back-and-watch-first kind. He's the new guy. Parke took Brickerson's place when he transferred to the Gulf Team in January. He seems to be making a great first impression though." Tony nodded. He'd heard a little bit about the guy through the grapevine on the social level. He had just gotten married and he and his wife moved out here together. He remembered vaguely that she did something on Capitol Hill.

"Then there's Elijah Critten. He's like a lesser version of McGee with a black belt. He really does have a black belt, and though he's got some skills, I'm sure McGee could hack his ass in two seconds." It was obvious to both men that she was giving Tim reassurance that he didn't need, and they gave each other a knowing look.

"So he's a baby McGeek. What's his background?" Tony asked.

"Got his masters at University of Minnesota, worked with a finance taskforce for the Minnesota State Sheriff's office for a few years until their funding was cut and they had to eliminate the team. If there's a paper trail, he can sniff it out. He has Navy family, and it lead him here. He started off in the basement and then came up last summer after FLETC. He's done a pretty good job so far, but he didn't have much crime scene experience when he came on board. He's a fast learner. Doesn't seem to have the best people skills. He gets along with the team and such, but he's not the go-to person for the light touch needed to work with families going through the harder stuff. That's probably how Parke was pulled in. The good thing is that it sounds like he takes constructive criticism well and really wants to try to become a better agent. Brownie points for him there." Abby went quiet for a moment as she kept reading.

Tony took a deep breath. These were his people. They were going to be his team. He needed something else though.

"Abby, find me something personal about them. I know Parke just got married and his wife works on the Hill. What about Critten?" Tony stared past the dashboard and into the light snow falling in front of the car, illuminated by the headlights.

"Uh, looks like he's single. His father and older brother are both Navy, both stationed afloat right now, separate ships. Chief Petty Officer and Seaman Critten. It says that Elijah never wanted to enter the private sector with his skills, looking for work in what they call the "protective fields" here. He lost his mother very young and was practically raised by his step-mother. Don't really know much more than that." Abby sounded apologetic and he could hear the laptop keys being stroked.

"That's great Abs. Thanks. We're almost there. See you in a few." Tony said.

"You're welcome. Hey, Gibbs?" Gibbs looked towards the phone for a moment and then back at the road.

"Yeah, Abs."

"I got a coffee maker for the lab."

Gibbs smiled and shook his head. "I'll be there Abs."

Tony laughed as he hung up the phone. She could read them both so well. He exchanged a look with Gibbs.

"So, that's going to be my team." Gibbs just nodded. "Sounds promising. Won't be the same, but they have good skillsets to start with, and we'll get them trained right."

Gibbs noticed the "we" in that statement and decided not to mention it. If Tony was going to let him help, that was a relief, but he knew that he wouldn't need much help, and once he got started, it was likely he would only ask for it when he really found himself stuck. He tried to settle the uneasiness that had been flittering around inside of him while Abby read off the personnel files. It surprised him that he was able to so easily. Tony was his- pure and simple. He might not be on his team for much longer, but Tony was his. He took a deep breath.

"You're going to want a third."

Tony was surprised to get anything out of Gibbs on the touchy subject. It sounded like a concession, but not a resignation. He knew that Gibbs was probably already plotting how to get him back on his six once Simmons' maternity leave was up. His eyebrows arched as he thought.

"Yeah. Should probably be a woman. Balance it out." Tony's words came out easily, no hint of sexual innuendo. Gibbs flashed back to the women McGee and Tony had set up for interviews during Ziva's absence. He remembered having to say something about not having a casting couch. He smiled, remembering how jealous he had been at the time that he felt he had to say it.

"What are you smiling about?" Tony asked, a smile on his own face.

"Casting couches."

Tony's eyebrows rose again. He couldn't believe that Jethro remembered that. "I'd rather think about your couch and what I'm going to do to you on it when this case is over."

"Tony! Come on! I have to be able to focus, damn it!" Gibbs barked with a hidden chuckle.

"What? You know you were thinking it." Tony said with a smirk.

"No. I wasn't."

"Oh, really?" Tony asked, his voice low and playful.

"No."

"So what were you thinking about?" he asked.

"How I wish I would have had a casting couch when I hired you. This whole thing would have gone a lot differently."

Tony let out a surprised laugh. "Yeah it would've! You were still married and I was engaged."

"My divorce was pending." Gibbs' tone was completely serious, but Tony knew that it was mocking the memory of Tony finding out about his third "pending" divorce.

"I was still engaged, and I know you. You wouldn't have come between that. At least not intentionally."

"Guess I kinda did come between that though, didn't I?" Gibbs said thoughtfully.

"No. She made her decisions, and I made mine. Those decisions came between us, and I don't regret it for a single second." Tony reached out and took Jethro's hand, giving it a quick squeeze as they pulled into the yard.

Once they parked, they headed straight for Abby's lab. She was already handing a cup of coffee to Ziva and Tim was drinking deeply from a mug. She handed a paper cup with a lid to Gibbs, who in turn kissed her on top of the head. She nodded towards the cup on the desk with the container of sugar next to it for Tony. He smiled and tugged a pigtail before adding a generous amount of cane and putting the lid on it.

"What do we know?" Gibbs asked with quiet authority.

McGee moved to a computer and pulled up the schematics to a ship. "The USS Americana is coming into port in an hour. They were starting in on landfall duties when several people came up missing. There are six people that suddenly disappeared. They were all on board at some point in the past twenty-four hours, showing up for their shifts as assigned, but now they are nowhere to be found. Their belongings aren't packed, there's nothing missing, just them."

"How did the Feebs get lead on this?" Tony asked.

"Because we know why they're missing." Fornell was standing in the doorway. "Figured I would find you all here."

"Tobias, what the hell is going on?" Gibbs asked, the angry frustration something the Agent was used to.

"Don't get pissed at me, Gibbs. I just got pulled in on this. They figure I have the best chance at playing nice with you." Tobias shrugged, obviously as put out by the scenario as Gibbs was.

"Why are they missing?" Tony demanded.

Fornell raised an eyebrow at the tone that Tony took with him, but shrugged it off. He knew that Tony was five minutes away from becoming Gibbs' equal, and he knew he was going to have to get used to it. "They're in quarantine. They were all working on an undercover project to bring back a sample of what was believed to be a weaponized strain of Ebola so that a vaccine could be made."

"This sounds more like CIA stuff." Tim said.

"It was, but they lost contact with their operative in Kenya, who was working with the terrorists undercover to get the strain, shortly after it exchanged hands with the transport team. The whole cell has gone missing. This has become a National Security issue, so now it's our problem."

"Of course it is." Tony's sarcasm got a look from Gibbs, but he met it with a raised eyebrow.

Fornell continued. "The six people that had their hands in getting the sample, were sent to transport it secretly, because there is reason to believe there is at least one person on that ship who is playing for both teams. One of the six started contracting symptoms of what we hope is just a case of the flu, but since no one on the ship has had the flu in two months, they all snuck overboard last night in a lifeboat. It was a contingency plan, or so we're told. That ship's entire crew is about to find out that they aren't allowed to get off that boat without a thorough examination and blood tests that are going to take two days to run."

"Jesus, Tobias! Who the hell's brilliant plan was all of this?" Gibbs was furious.

"Some CIA genius apparently. Everyone is pointing fingers. You know how it is." Fornell said. Abby took pity on him and poured him a cup of coffee. He took it gratefully, drinking from the cup immediately. "This is going to be rough, Gibbs."

"Do we have any idea where the damned sample is?" Gibbs asked, pissed as all else

"Somewhere on that boat. Each person had a piece to the puzzle hidden under their mattresses. We just have to find the pieces, put the puzzle together, and we'll find the location of the sample." Tobias said it with sarcastic positivity.

"Well, if that doesn't make today suck ten times worse, I don't know what does." Tony shook his head and threw his hands up to the sides. "I know things can be worse, but really? Everything else that has happened today, and now _this_?!"

Ziva put a hand on Tony's shoulder. "Does anyone on the ship know what has happened to the missing Seamen yet?" Her steady voice pulled him back to the present, her focus contagious.

"No. The group has orders not to contact the ship until it's made land so that their shipmates wouldn't try to rescue them. They have very strict orders, and they were chosen because they know how to follow them."

"You're saying what I think you're saying, aren't you?" Tim asked.

Fornell looked him in the eyes, answering without answering. Tim shook his head slightly in disgust.

"What are we missing?" Tony asked.

"When I was at John Hopkins, I had a lot of friends that worked in bioengineering. There is a not-so-secret secret in the profession. Don't get into it if you don't have the strength to take your own life to keep a contagion from spreading." Tim looked down at the coffee cup in his hands.

"You mean the six Seamen on that lifeboat out there are locked into a suicide pact?" Gibbs asked.

"It's not so much a pact. It's as sacred in the profession as not leaving a man behind is to the Corps, Gibbs. If it proves to be more than the flu, they will all willingly give their own lives in order to keep the contagion from spreading, and possibly taking out the entire population." Tim looked back and forth between Gibbs and Tony. His eyes fell on Fornell and narrowed. "What?"

Everyone turned to Fornell, who looked decidedly nervous. "Only three of them are bioengineers. Three are actually just regular Seamen, with completely unrelated jobs that got roped into the project."

"Great." Tony said. "Just beautiful. Do they know what they were signing up for? Will they be killed if they can't prove the contagion isn't the cause for the sickness? And how the hell can they tell?"

"I honestly have no idea how things will go down. Wasn't our op, and none of that info is the kind of stuff that comes up in even classified files. All I know is that we've been told that all of them were aware of this possible situation." Fornell drank deeply from his cup. The room fell eerily silent.

"I don't want Abby working on their samples." Gibbs suddenly said.

"Gibbs! No!" Abby shouted.

"The CIA created this mess. I want their techs running the samples. She's one person, and I'm not going to have her over-worked when there's a chance one of these samples could be so deadly. One accident among hundreds of samples, and no cure for this thing yet- it's not going to happen. I want a team of CIA techs that have some background with Ebola on the scene in twenty minutes to collect the samples." Gibbs voice was firm, and so was the stare he gave Fornell, ignoring Abby's pleas.

McGee pulled her away from the group and into her back office. Tony took a second to glance at their retreat before looking at Gibbs. He knew it would be a week and a dozen CafPows before she spoke to him again, but he understood why he was doing it. When Gibbs finally broke Fornell's gaze, Tony met it with the slightest nod of approval. Fornell nodded and pulled out his cell.

"We should get to the port. The boat should be in soon." Fornell said.

"What about Simmons' team?" Tony asked, wondering whether or not they had been debriefed.

Fornell pulled his phone from his ear, hitting a button. "Why the hell don't you people talk to each other?! Damn it!" Fornell put his head in his hand and shook it before looking back up at Tony.

"Simmons can't be anywhere near a site with a contaminate if she's pregnant. I've been told her people are under you now. Vance said having the extra man-power for searching the ship will be a great way to break them in." Fornell spit it out like ripping off a Band-Aid.

Tony's hand went to his temple. He wasn't ready for this. He turned to Gibbs whose eyes flashed with the briefest sadness before steeling. "You're ready for this Tony. We'll all work together. It will be fine."

Tony took a deep breath. He turned to Ziva, who smiled at him with a nod. He nodded once at Gibbs and then moved past Fornell and into the hallway. He decided against the elevator and headed up the stairs, stopping before opening the door to the bullpen.

This was it. Once he went through that door, he was assuming Simmons' position. He fought the urge to look back over his shoulder until he heard the door at the bottom of the staircase open. He turned to see Jethro coming up the stairs, waiting for Tony in the camera's blind spot. Tony turned and moved to join him, wrapping his arms tightly around the older agent.

"You," Gibbs squeezed harder, "are going to be an incredible lead, Tony."

Tony felt the affirmation settle deep into his bones. That had to be the single highest praise he had been given in his entire life, especially coming from Gibbs.

"I know I don't say it, because… well, I'm a bastard, but I'm proud of you."

Tony pulled back and saw the shining blue eyes staring back at him with complete honesty. He leaned forward and kissed Jethro fully. "I love you, Jethro."

"I love you, too, Tony."

With that, Tony turned and strode up to the door, opening it without hesitation. He walked into the bullpen and into the center section, finding Parke and Critten at their desks talking. They stopped when they saw him walk in. He nodded to them, unable to give them a smile under the circumstances. "We need to debrief. We'll have to save the introductions for later." The two men looked at each other and then watched Tony closely as he pulled a chair into the middle of the room.

His voice rang out clearly, the authority settling into it naturally as he gave his team his first order.

"Campfire, probies. Bring it in."


	18. Chapter 18

Parke and Critten had been sitting alone in the bullpen discussing their pending change in leadership when Tony walked through the stairwell door. There were conflicting stories going around the office about their temporary lead, and neither knew what to believe. There were stories about his womanizing and there were tales of practical jokes that made probies cringe. There were rumors going around about Tony and Ziva's relationship being more than it seemed, and then there were whispers, when you listened close enough, that said he might be gay and that it was all a front. Most of those were sparked by his fashion sense and panache for designer labels.

But there were other stories that captured their attention even more. Stories that said the man had lived through a bio-attack, pulled his boss and a young woman from a submerged car, and was intentionally captured by Somalian terrorists in order to save a teammate. There was even a bit there that everyone believed DiNozzo had died in a car bombing.

As far as Parke was concerned, his new supervisor was worthy of being given a chance, but he was going to be watching him very closely. Critten was a bit more skeptical, but he was willing to make it work. It was only for a year, after all, and though he had learned Kathy's way of doing things, he hadn't been under her as long as he was going to be under DiNozzo. He was going to have to learn to trust the man.

They both watched him stride into the room, looking hurried but not anxious, serious but not stern.

"We need to debrief. We'll have to save the introductions for later."

Parke and Critten looked at one another, knowing the assessment was already beginning, and then looked back at DiNozzo. They watched him grab Kathy's chair and then pull it into the space between their desks.

"Campfire, probies. Bring it in." His words struck them both as a little odd, but they got the picture. They rolled their chairs into the middle, Parke staying seated as he pushed out from behind his desk, taking a ride on his, Critten choosing to stand up and push his over before reseating himself.

"So here's the situation. There's a ship coming into port, the Americana, and it's six people lighter than it was just a day or so ago. These six people were working undercover for the CIA, to get a sample of weaponized Ebola to the States to be analizyed to determine if a vaccine can be made. The sample is hidden somewhere on the ship." Tony's eyes watched Parke and Critten as they absorbed the information silently. "There are going to be six clues, one for each person that is MIA, that we're going to have to help the MCRT piece them together to locate it. The reason why these six people are not on board anymore, is that they jumped ship in a lifeboat the other night when one of them got sick. It might not be Ebola at all, but as a precaution, they ducked out to isolate themselves, just in case. In the meantime, every person on that crew is going to have to be detained for 24 hours, blood work is going to be done, as quickly as possible, and then they'll be released to their families. When we get there, there's going to be a lot of people expecting to get off the ship, and a lot more expecting to meet them when they do. They don't know yet that they're stuck on board. It's going to be chaos, and we're going to have to work through it to find the sample, as well as keep the crew calm. You two ever work in biohazard suits before?"

Both men had been listening with serious concentration until the last question. At that, both of them struggled to fight back their surprise, and failed. "No." Parke said, sounding much calmer than he looked. Tony gave him credit for keeping his voice steady. Critten just shook his head.

"It's not fun. I've only had to do it a once, but Gibbs, McGee and Abby can all tell ya, it isn't fun to be trapped in one for a couple of days."

"How do they know better than you?" Parke asked, and Tony knew it was a test.

"I'm sure you already know the answer to that, and have heard all about my experience with the Black Death. Story for another time though. We need to get going." Tony got to his feet and headed across the bullpen to his desk for his go bag.

When Tony walked away, Parke and Critten shared another look and a shrug. They reached behind their desks and grabbed their stuff.

"Get along, little probies!" Tony shouted from the staircase doorway. They both hurried to catch up with the man that was already heading through the door and down the stairs.

"This is going to be interesting." Parke said.

"That's one word for it," Critten said, eyebrows raising.

* * *

Tony headed towards his desk for his bag, trying hard not to look over his shoulder to see how his probies were reacting. He headed for the door, and not finding his team waiting, he urged them along with a teasing taunt. Going down the steps, he took a deep breath. He was going to be introducing his new team to his old team in a minute, and he hadn't even officially introduced himself to them. There would be time for that later, but this wasn't how he wanted to get to know the two men.

He was almost at the door to the level of Abby's lab was on when he heard the door open upstairs and two sets of footsteps rushed down behind him. He pushed his way into the hallway and towards Abby's lab where the MCRT was waiting for them.

Abby was still giving Gibbs the evil eye, but turned to give Tony a sad smile as she realized who was intruding in her sacred space. She almost glared at Parke and Critten, but Tony gave her a look that said _Don't you dare, it's not their fault._ He watched her take a deep breath and offer the tiniest smile.

Gibbs turned to look at Tony, Parke and Critten. "Ready?" he asked, looking Tony directly in the eyes, sharing one of their silent conversations.

"As ready as you can be for something like this. Hey, everyone, this is Gregory Parke and Elijah Critten. Guys, this is Ziva David, Tim McGee, and I'm sure you've met Abby, Ducky, Palmer and Agent Gibbs." Everyone said a general hello and Parke waved with a tense smile. "Okay. Let's move." Tony answered. Everyone in the room picked up their stuff, including Abby. Tony gave her a questioning look.

"I'm not going to be allowed to help work on the samples, but I'm going to help monitor the oxygen in the hazmat suits and stuff like that for tonight." She gave Gibbs another death-glare as she informed Tony of the change of plans, making it clear that she was not happy with even this compromise.

"I know you're capable Abs, but it really is way too much work for just you. You don't know the history behind this thing, and it's better left to the people who have been studying it, waiting for the sample to arrive." Tony said, trying to calm her.

"Of course you would take _his_ side," she said with a huff, crossing her arms.

Tony reached out and hugged her stiff body. "Of course I would. We _both_ love you, so we _both_ want you safe."

Abby couldn't help but smile at that and hug Tony back. She shot Gibbs another glare, however, and walked past him to join the parade heading for evidence, leaving Tony and Gibbs alone in the lab for a moment. Tony shrugged and gave Gibbs a smile. "She'll get over it."

Gibbs nodded. He raised his eyebrows and looked at the door and back.

Tony knew he was asking how things went. He shrugged. "Too early to tell."

Gibbs nodded again.

"We're going to be stuck in hazmat suits for close to two days, aren't we?" Tony asked.

"Yup."

"In that case," Tony reached for Jethro's hand and pulled him into Abby's back office. He came willingly. Tucking into the corner by the door so they were out of sight, Tony wrapped his arms around Jethro's neck and pulled him immediately in for a deep kiss. It was full of his anxiety, his exasperation, and his passion for the man he was wrapped around. Jethro kissed him back, unable to do anything else.

Tony finally pulled away. "Just had to get that out of my system."

Gibbs nodded again. "Yeah." He swallowed hard. He knew he should have said no, should have just headed for the garage to meet up with their teams, but he knew with that kiss that Tony was as nervous as he was about Tony getting close to another biohazard.

Tony took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Let's do this."

They turned to head out of the lab. "Parke is already testing me. Asked me why you guys have spent more time in hazmat suits than me when I brought it up."

Gibbs snickered. "Yeah. It only gets better."

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, remember that week I brought coffee in every day, and every day, I had them put espresso in yours so it would jack it up, and then on Friday, I brought you decaf?"

Gibbs reached out and head slapped Tony with a smile. "I remember walking up and taking your coffee from you and handing you mine after I had spit it back out in the cup."

"Yeah, that was great. I was impressed that you could tell so easily. That's when I learned rule twenty-three." Tony rubbed the back of neck as he remembered.

"I let you off easy!" Gibbs joked as they walked into the evidence garage.

"Everyone gets one opportunity to learn that one, I guess." Tony said, voice lowering so it didn't echo through the cavernous room.

Tony headed for one evidence truck where his probies were waiting, having already loaded it, and Gibbs headed towards the other. Ducky and Palmer were loading it when Gibbs approached them.

"I've been told. How's he handling it?" Ducky asked quietly.

Gibbs glanced over his shoulder for a moment and then back at his old friend. "He's going to be fine, Duck."

"And you?"

Gibbs paused for a moment, then shrugged. "Nothing I can do about it. Yet."

Palmer went around the side of the truck to get in with Ziva, leaving the two men alone. Ducky reached out and put a hand on Gibbs' shoulder. "Jethro, have you considered that this might be good for Anthony?"

Gibbs glared at Ducky.

"What we want is not always what we need." Ducky squeezed Gibbs' shoulder and turned to climb into the back of the truck with his bag.

Tim came around the side at the same time, nodding at Gibbs. "We're all set, Boss. Both trucks are packed and ready to move out, and the car is waiting for us. Gibbs nodded and moved past Tim, who turned to follow him. They climbed into the car and the garage door opened behind them. Gibbs backed the car out and the trucks followed him. There was only a few minutes' drive over to the port, but Tim was into his laptop, bringing up the schematics of the ship again.

Gibbs reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small tube of pills, reaching out to give them to Tim. Without looking up from his computer, he pulled his own tube out of his pocket and held them up. "Way ahead of you." Tim said, slipping them back into his jacket before returning to his clickity-clacking on the keyboard.

Gibbs smirked and tucked them back in his jacket. He knew they would be needed eventually. They were going to be on the boat for a long time, most likely forced to live out the quarantine on board once they found the vial they were looking for, despite the hazmat suits.

"It shouldn't be hard to find. It's a big ship, but not the biggest. Once we get the clues we need, we should be able to piece it together fairly easily and get it to the CIA's bio-techs." Tim was making notes of some of the best places to hide something.

"McGee, what are the chances that we're going to find these people?" Gibbs asked, wondering if Tim could shed some light on what their six MIA operatives were thinking.

"Alive?" Tim asked immediately, realizing how insensitive it sounded a moment too late.

"Yes, McGee! Alive."

"It all depends on what kinds of symptoms they see develop in the one who is ill, whether they brought anything with them to treat him or her, and whether or not they brought something with them to make… well to end things quickly." Tim tried not to look up at his boss, knowing the news wasn't positive.

"We need to find them before they do something stupid," Gibbs said quietly.

"Boss, if he or she has contracted the virus, they won't ever be allowed to see the shore." Tim's voice was quiet.

"Who's going to stop them?"

"There's a long line, starting with each other, then the CIA, and ending with the Health and Human Services people. They'll be killed before they ever get near the shore if there's legitimate reason to believe that they have contracted the virus." Tim said quietly, afraid of incurring Gibbs' wrath.

"Damn it!" Gibbs hissed. "We have to find them first. So, there would already be people searching for them."

"I'd bet a month's pay that the CIA already has a good idea of where to look, and that they're probably already halfway there."

"Any chance we can get to them first?" Gibbs asked.

"Not really. The only chance they have is if we can find solid evidence that the sailor that is sick, isn't infected. They would've had to have the sample on board for more than a month. The chance that it was exposed this close to shore would require someone finding it and intentionally infecting people with it. That would require exposing a mole on a ship of hundreds of people. The best chance we have is if someone else comes down with the flu or a really high fever in the next few hours that we can test for and verify. Then we get word out. " Tim drifted off, shaking his head and burying his head back in his screen.

"What, McGee?" Gibbs voice had that commanding, _don't mess with me_ tone.

Tim braced himself. "If Tony can beat the plague, who says this person, if infected couldn't beat this bug with the right care? We could leak something to the media about the situation. That would give them a better chance of letting an infected person on shore to seek treatment."

Gibbs looked over at Tim, squinting.

"I know. It was just a thought. Not a good idea." Tim could feel his cheeks turning bright red.

"How would we do it?" Gibbs asked quietly as they pulled up to the port, watching the crowd gathering, feeling his chest tighten a bit at the scene. Families were gathered with gifts and small lights, waiting for their loved ones to get off a boat that they wouldn't be coming off of tonight. They could see the ship off a bit yet, but it wouldn't take long for it to hit land. They were probably receiving word right about now of the situation, and if they were lucky they wouldn't have to worry about a riot situation.

"Well, we couldn't reveal that it was because of the virus, but we can say that members of the crew are missing, that they are out there somewhere, and that we're searching fervently to bring them home safely. No one would want to be the one to say, oh, we're not going to let them come home. Instead of people racing to be the first ones to find them to stop the virus by keeping them away from shore, whichever department fights hardest for their retrieval looks like a hero. If they are infected, it would give them a fighting chance." Tim was surprised that Gibbs was going for this, even if just in consideration.

"How would we release it without it leading back to us?" Gibbs asked his new SFA, thinking that he just might be sneaky enough to fill Tony's shoes while he was elsewhere.

Tim thought for a moment. "Sarah."

"Your sister? Why Sarah?"

"She had friends that she graduated with that are journalists. Being a lit major she had a lot of them in her classes. She would know how to get the story out discreetly."

Gibbs thought for a moment. "Do it. All of these people need a reason for why their family members won't be getting off that ship. If there is an explanation they can follow in the media, they will react differently. Hopefully it will make our jobs a little easier, and put the focus on bringing those sailors home instead of the fact that we're all going in there in our rubber jumpsuits." Gibbs looked at McGee to find he was already getting out his phone to call Sarah.

They pulled up to find Vance's SUV waiting at the port entrance. Looking in the rearview mirrors, they saw that the two crime scene trucks were slowly pulling in behind them, making their way through a crowd that was slowly realizing their presence.

"Sarah, it's Tim. I need a huge favor. Actually, a lot of people need a huge favor."

Gibbs got out of the car to leave Tim to his conversation. He noticed Tony was already getting out of the truck and coming to join him as they approached Vance. Their eyes met a brief moment before both of them completely put up the walls needed to stay focused and professional.

"Director." Tony greeted.

"DiNozzo. Gibbs." Vance said with a nod. "Sorry I couldn't brief you on the situation myself, but I had to be down here to keep the Americana out of the port before we could tell the families. We're actually going to have to go out to it. Until the entire crew is cleared, they aren't going to bring her any closer to the shore." Both men nodded, seeing the sense in it. "Are you settling in?" His question was directed at Tony.

"Too early to tell, but we'll soon find out. Ride over wasn't bad. You know, without Gibbs or Ziva behind the wheel to make me fear for my life, I actually had a minute to get to ask a few questions, get to know them..." Tony completely expected the head slap he received, but instead of saying anything in response this time, he simply smiled.

"Keep your hands to yourself, Gibbs. You can't beat him up on the job anymore."

Tony glanced at Gibbs who rolled his eyes at the private joke. Vance chuckled, sticking a toothpick in his mouth as he turned towards the crowd of people gathering behind them. A uniformed man was getting up on a stone wall with a bullhorn under a park light. Tony suddenly noticed just how many LEOs were in the port park. They were prepared in case things got out of hand.

"Guess that's our cue," Gibbs said softly.

"Yeah. Give it an hour before you don your suits. The less people out here when that happens, the better." Vance said, shaking his head at the crowd gathering. "DiNozzo, your team is going to handle questioning the crew as they come in for their blood tests. Ask questions, get answers, help Gibbs' team piece together the damn puzzle. You're support on this. Whatever they need, you give them."

"Of course." Tony said, nodding before looking over his shoulder at his probies as they waited for him by the truck, unsure of which supplies to pull out first, if any. They all knew that if they were to pull out the cleaning tents and the suits on a dock full of people, they would be inciting more panic than just what the people on the dock could inflict

Gibbs looked over at Tony, and then followed his gaze. Tony turned to him and nodded before leaving him and Vance standing there. "He's going to be a damn fine leader, Gibbs. You gotta give him the chance. He's earned it."

Gibbs tried to glare at Vance, but turned to watch Tony's interactions with Parke and Critten. "I don't doubt his abilities, Leon. I know what he's capable of. We're capable of a lot of things, but that doesn't mean we're supposed to do them."

"Don't know what is supposed to happen until it happens. Even then, we usually don't understand why it happened until much later. Give it time. It's all we got."

Gibbs looked back at Vance with a look that said, _We'll see about that._

* * *

Tony walked up and joined the two men watching the scene unfold around them as the crowd gathered to receive word that their loved ones wouldn't be coming off of the boat. He leaned in, speaking softly so that his team had to lean in even closer to hear.

"Rule 35- always watch the watchers. We're going to watch the crowd, see if anyone stands out, showing signs of expectation, reacting differently. We need to see if someone is waiting for the sample."

They both nodded. Parke squinted at Tony. "Why would someone be waiting for the sample?"

Tony grinned at his probie. "Why do you think we'd be looking?"

"Because someone on that ship isn't who they say they are," Critten joined in.

"Either that or someone is playing the game from both sides of the chessboard," Parke added, nodding at Critten's assessment.

"You guys are going to be a lot of fun," Tony said with a wolfish smile. "Let's wire up. Critten, you get with Agent McGee to make sure the frequencies are linked?"

"Before we left, sir." Critten was fitting his earwig in when he noticed the odd look on Tony's face.

"Don't call me sir." Tony cringed, thinking of how weird it was to hear that come out of his own mouth. "You can call me just about anything _but,_ just don't call me sir." He thought about all of the times that he had heard Gibbs say that very same thing. "A little advice- make sure you never call Gibbs 'sir' either. As much as I hate it, he _really_ hates it. Suddenly understand why."

Critten looked over at Parke to find him scrutinizing Tony's expression. He'd seen that look before. He knew that if anyone could figure out their new leader, it would be Parke. He'd witnessed the man unravel some tough cookies in the past couple of months; shouldn't take long to figure out who they were under.

Tony had his earwig in and was asking who else was tuned in. He heard the quiet comments made by Tim, Ziva, and Ducky, then nodded at his crew to let their presence be known as well. Once they knew who was on the coms, they fanned out instinctively, knowing their roles. Parke and Critten followed their lead, moving around the crowd and finding the best view as the man with the bullhorn was finally delivering the bad news.

Gibbs' voice came over the earpieces, quiet but firm. "Check out the first people to walk away. If they aren't here to greet family, they have no reason to stick around once they discover nothing is coming off that ship."

"They'll probably have something with them to transport it with as well. Briefcase, backpack, even a lunchbox," Tim added.

"They'll most likely be watching the people around them react, not reacting with any real emotion except maybe anxiety or annoyance." Tony's voice was quiet over their coms, and it gave Gibbs the chills as it drifted directly into his ear. He took a deep breath and forced himself to focus on the task at hand. It didn't take but a second to recover from the distraction this time.

The crowd began to disperse in chunks, no one person looking any more suspicious than the others. Everyone noticed that two white vans with large satellite antennas on the top were arriving.

"Uh, Boss? Looks like the media just got here. How do you wanna handle this?" Tim asked.

"Not our problem, McGee. The LEOs will handle that, and the Public Affairs people got here right after we did." Gibbs looked across the crowd to locate McGee. They both nodded at one another when they made eye contact.

Tony watched the exchange from his place on a slight incline in the bike path through the park. He felt an odd twinge in his stomach, knowing he was just left out of something. He took a deep breath and chastised himself. He knew he shouldn't be jealous of Tim getting to have Gibbs' ear during a case. That was his job for ten years. For the next year, it would be Tim's job to be Gibbs' on-the-job support

He shook off the feeling and located his own probies. He wondered which one of them he could rely on like that. He didn't know much at all about either yet, but they seemed to have good heads on their shoulders. Kathy had just replaced her SFA with Parke and neither were assigned SFA status yet because they were so green. He watched them observing the crowd. Gibbs was right- he would need a third. Perhaps his third would be his SFA. He would have to wait and see. Whoever he chose would also have to fit Kathy's expectations, since they would be her SFA when she took the team back a year later.

The reporters that were getting set up, and the ones coming in, were approaching families as they walked back towards the lots past the park. Many were still in various stages of grief, shock, anger and sadness, obvious even from Tony's distance from them. He noticed a group of people in uniform approaching the vans, and realized that public affairs were getting their two cents in.

He headed back towards the vans, preparing himself mentally for his fate of two days in a hazmat suit. He hated the damned things. He wasn't claustrophobic, but being confined in a suit, unable to breathe fresh air for any amount of time made his skin crawl. _If the damn thing is going to keep me from getting another disease from the Stone Age, I can deal,_ Tony thought, giving himself a mental pep talk.

The rest of the team had given up on finding a contact in the crowd as well, and were filtering through the stragglers towards their equipment. Parke and Critten walked side by side, talking softly enough not to be picked up by their mics. Tony watched as inconspicuously as possible as he headed for Gibbs. Gibbs' eyebrows shot up as Tony came around the side of the truck to where the MCRT was standing at the back.

"We're your support on this Gibbs. What do you want us to do?" Tony asked.

Gibbs smirked and Tony could see his shoulders relax just the slightest. Tony smirked back. He knew that Gibbs' inner control freak had been aching to tell Tony what to do.

"We need to suit up as inconspicuously as possible. The tents need set up near the dock, and we'll put them on in there and wait until we get the go ahead to board whatever boat they find for us."

Tony nodded. Critten came around the side of the truck to find them, and Tony nodded towards the one they came in. They moved to join Abby, Palmer and Parke as they pulled things out of the back of it. Abby and Tony grabbed boxes and followed the other three men towards the dock. Abby's pace made Tony slow down, thinking she was having trouble carrying her load. Instead she glanced towards his new team.

"Are you okay with this, Tony? Because if you're not, or if they do anything to, like, seriously piss you off, I will find some way to get rid of them for you. I'm sure I could totally screw with their personnel files or something so that they can't even be on a team, or even with the agency at all. Just say the word, because I need to know you're safe, and happy, and that you can trust them, because if you can't trust them, then I can't believe you're safe and Gibbs will-"

"ABBY!" Tony cried, making her stop midsentence. "I don't know yet."

"Don't know what yet? Which part? The, 'Are you okay?' part, or the 'They're trustworthy' part?"

Tony took a deep breath and let it out, stopping and staring at the two men as they worked with Palmer to set up the first tent while Tim, Ducky and Gibbs were setting up the second tent. "Either Abs, I don't know about either."

Twenty minutes later, two tents were erected and everyone was suited up in their blue hazmat suits. Tony tugged at his suit as Palmer adjusted the oxygen level for him. He heard Palmer's voice in his earwig telling him that he was going to need to wait two minutes and get another reading to make sure it was just right. Tony nodded and sat on a folding chair, watching Critten's expression as Palmer adjusted his suit. The bright lights in the tent cast an odd shadow over his eyes but he could tell the younger man's mouth was twisted in an uncomfortable scowl.

"Think of it this way Critten, it's motivation to find what we're looking for quickly, efficiently, and ever so carefully. The sooner we get all of the crew tested, and the sample secure, the sooner we can get out of these damned things."

Gibbs' voice came through his ear. "Don't have to tell me twice. The last time I was in one of these things we-" The voice stopped abruptly as Gibbs remembered who else was able to hear him on the headsets.

Tony's eyes closed for a moment as he remembered the last time Gibbs would have been suited up in a hazmat suit. "I know, Boss. I know." Tony's voice was probably a little too soft, but he didn't care. It was no secret how close the team was, and figured the assumption could lie there.

Parke watched Tony's face closely, witnessing the way he closed his eyes and took a deep swallow at the memory. He sensed the need to comfort in those few words, and wondered whether or not his new boss had even wanted to leave his old team. He was obviously very close with them, and in that moment, he knew for a fact that Tony would rather have been in the other tent with them.

He considered that. It made sense, in many ways, that Tony would want to be close to his old team as they were facing another bio-hazard. He had lived through one already, and if the stories were true, solely because of the support his team had given him during the battle. The fact that he wasn't with them though, but instead remaining with himself and Critten felt like an important display of his willingness to work on being a good leader. The fact that Tony was willing to go anywhere near another bio-hazardous material showed courage and dedication - or idiocy. He wasn't sure which yet.

He knew one thing for certain though- one day, he hoped that he trusted his team as much as Tony obviously trusted his old team. It was written all over the older man's face how important they were to him as Tim and Ziva's voices came through the headsets with banter to lighten the mood. Tony's eyes opened and he laughed openly at their jokes.

"Careful there Probie, Probette. Remember, when this is all done, I'm back at my desk for another two weeks before you get rid of me. That's two full weeks of revenge." Parke noticed how Tony's eyes twinkled with mischief as he returned the teasing.

"DiNozzo!"

"Yes, Boss?" Tony asked, jumping at the familiar bark in his ear.

"No plotting revenge. We've got enough on our plates for now." Gibbs said, but Tony could hear the humor hiding behind his voice.

"I'm saving it for the weekend, Boss." Tony tried not to let too much humor slip through, but he couldn't sound completely serious.

"I'm sure you can think of better things to do with your weekend than plan practical jokes, DiNozzo."

Tony's mind immediately began to wander and he didn't respond until he heard Abby's voice come across the earpieces.

"Tony! You're such a pig!"

Everyone started laughing, including Palmer, Parke and Critten.

"Hey! Finally doing the serious thing! I'm allowed to be a pig if it's the same person in every scenario running through my head!" That brought more laughter to his ears.

"DiNozzo, as soon as these suits are off, I'm head slapping you."

Various voices reached his ears in teasing 'Uh-ohs', 'Ummmms' and Abby's "Oh, you're in trouble, now!"

Tony shook his head. He knew they were all pretty nervous about this one if they were joking like this. Even Gibbs must have been a little uncomfortable if he was joining in. It was a cure that he knew worked best on his teammates' nerves. He chuckled. "Okay guys, you're setting a bad example for my new probies. Time to behave ourselves."

"Do you know how to do that, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked and the laughter started all over again.

"Used to, but then I met you guys and completely forgot how."

"Can't blame that one on us." Gibbs said.

"Oh really? You're the worst influence of all!"

Abby laughed and he could hear Tim and Ziva both trying to muffle their own chortles, unsuccessfully. Tony noticed Palmer had turned a bright shade of red. Ducky walked into the tent to check on Palmer's adjustments and chastised him. "Really, Anthony. Must you get them all wound up before you go into _every_ dangerous operation? The laughter causes inconsistencies with the oxygen read outs." That set off another round of giggles.

Gibbs had been sitting in his tent with Abby, Ziva and Tim while Abby adjusted Ducky's own oxygen meter. He enjoyed the laughter floating around him after such a rough couple of days. It helped calm the nerves that were standing on end, afraid of taking Tony so close to another bio-contaminant again, especially since his lover wasn't really his responsibility this time. In fact, it was even more dangerous because Tony was a team lead now, and Gibbs knew that if any situation were to arise where Tony had to choose between his own safety and that of his new probies, he would put himself in the line of fire.

His own comments joined the fray, unable to back away from the opportunity to connect with the younger man in some way. As Ducky was finally adjusted and left the tent to make sure everything was okay in the next one over, he smiled at his agents. They never ceased to amaze him. He fired another couple of comments back at Tony's smart mouth and then heard Ducky tease him. He found it a minor comfort to hear the new sounds of Critten and Parke's voices joining in on the laughter. He wanted to know that Tony would still have people appreciating his humor and lightheartedness despite his more serious role.

Once all of the laughter died down, he heard Tony's voice change from the jester to the "Boss" he was becoming. "Do we have names of the people we'll be working closest with on the Americana yet Boss?"

"We have a couple. No one I've ever worked with personally, but one or two I know by reputation. We shouldn't have much difficulty with the crew other than nosiness. The Skipper is known for running a tight ship."

Tony nodded, despite not being able to be seen. "How likely is it that someone is on the inside that shouldn't be?"

"If there is anyone to deal with, it will most likely be one of ours, in it for the money. Let's hope we don't have that problem." Gibbs answered.

Vance came into the tent to find the suited-up team and Palmer staring at him expectantly. "Let's move people."

Tony's team got to his feet and headed out of the tent, leaving Palmer behind to monitor their oxygen levels with Abby. Ducky turned to his assistant and placed a suited hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Palmer, in my absence, if anything happens that requires our services, you're going to have to handle things. Timothy should be able to set up the video camera so that we can work through it together. If for some reason he can't though, call Dr. Lagrange at Howard University. He is a patient man and an old friend. He can assist you."

Palmer smiled broadly at his mentor. "Will do, Dr. Mallard. Hopefully I won't have the opportunity."

Ducky patted his shoulder and nodded, "Well put, lad." He emerged from the tent to find Abby moving from each blue suit to another, granting them a good luck embrace. Each member of the team accepted it more for her sake than theirs, he knew, but he couldn't help but find the scene slightly chilling. He hugged the girl back gently and then let go. "Ms. Scuito, I've left Palmer in charge. If he needs anything, please be a dear and get in touch with me."

"Sure, Ducky. I'll keep him in line. Will you do me a favor?" She chewed on her lower lip, crossing her arms in a nervous pose.

"Of course, Abigail. What do you need?"

"Will you keep an eye on Timmy? I know he can handle himself, but Tony's going to be more occupied with his team now, and he won't be able to watch Timmy's back like he usually does, and I just want to make sure there are extra eyes on him."

He smiled at her and nodded. "I will make sure he stays safe, my dear." He received one more hug before following the people heading down the dock. _May this be as quick and painless as possible,_ he thought to himself, looking back before stepping on the boarding plank to the small boat they were using to shuttle them to the ship.

Tony and Gibbs sat next to one another on a bench along one side of the boat, Parke next to Tony and Ziva next to him. Tony looked over at Tim across from them, who was already turning a weird shade of gray. "Hey McGee, how are you supposed to get the dramadine into you if you're trapped in a plastic bubble?"

"I have liquid form that Ducky has for me to put through our straws when we have our protein shakes."

"Uhg. Not the shakes. I forgot about those." Tony made a face that caused Critten and Parke to share a look.

"That bad?" Parke asked from next to him.

"They could be worse. Could definitely be better, but could be worse." Ziva said.

Parke and Ziva began discussing various vitamin and protein shakes that they had tried over the years, trying to keep the conversation light for their short ride to the ship. Critten and Tim were sitting next to one another. They had struck up a conversation as well. Critten had heard of a certain technique that McGee had used in a case and wanted info on it. Ducky stared across the boat at Tony and Gibbs as they unconsciously leaned a little closer to one another than necessary. He raised an eyebrow at Gibbs when he caught the man's eye, notifying him of their infringement. Gibbs sat straighter, which alerted Tony to their closeness, prompting him to lean a little in the other direction instead.

Gibbs took a deep breath and focused on all of the things they would have to do once they were on the ship. It was a long list to check through, and he began arranging them in order of things that his team could do, Tony's team could do, and their priority.

Tony's mind was racing. He knew he was support for Gibbs' team on this case, but he felt like he should be doing something. He was going in blind. He took a few deep breaths to clear his head. The mingling of voices in his ear from the earwigs was drowned out by the wind coming off the water. He couldn't make out any one conversation completely, and he wasn't sure how any of them could hear one another through the suits. It seemed pointless to try.

They were alongside of the ship now, and got the clearance to board. Once on deck, they found themselves in the presence of five people, each looking more relieved than the next, despite the cloth surgical masks they all wore over their faces.

"Agent Gibbs. Agent DiNozzo." A man reached out and shook their suited hands.

"Skipper." Gibbs greeted sternly and Tony nodded.

"We either have really good news, or really bad news. Two men reported to the sick bay in the past two hours, both with fevers and sore throats. We're running blood work on them already to see if it's the flu or whatever bug it is we've got hidden somewhere on our ship."

Ducky stepped forward, shouting through his suit. "I'm Dr. Mallard. Can someone show me to sick bay, please?" The Skipper nodded to a man on the end.

"Right this way, doctor."

The Skipper turned back to Gibbs and Tony. "We have a room cleared for you to use to set up in, and then Ensigns Rogers, Vita and Garrity will assist you with everything you need. I don't need to tell you that we have a lot of people on this ship that are angry right now. Once the situation was explained, most of them calmed down. Two more days on board to make sure their family and friends won't get sick is worth it, but anything you can do to make this as quick as possible, the better."

"We understand, sir. We'll do whatever we can to speed this along." Tony said.

The team followed the three Ensigns down into the ship, then crammed into a room.

"Where would you like to start?" Ensign Vita asked.

"We need to see the sleeping quarters of each of the missing crew. If one of you could stay here with Agent McGee and give him information on each member, he can start pulling the background information we need."

"I'd be happy to, sir." Ensign Garrity stepped forward.

"Don't call me sir." Gibbs reprimanded with a glare.

Parke and Critten both shot each other a look and then looked at Tony. 'Told you', he mouthed to them. Gibbs reached out and head slapped Tony's helmet next to him. They smirked at one another before turning back to the people waiting in front of them. "Let's split up. One of you go with Agent DiNozzo's team, the other with me and Agent David." The two nodded and headed through the door. Gibbs turned to McGee and Ensign Garrity. "As soon as you get the info we need, check in with Ducky and find out what he has for us. Let me and Tony know right away what's going on in there."

Tim nodded at him, not missing that he called Tony by his first name. He was going to have to find a way to warn him about that later. However, he couldn't help the small smile he felt creep across his face at the idea that Gibbs was including Tony in the discussion as an equal. He knew that it was a good sign for Tony. Tim knew well that Tony's insecurities would need the kind of reassurance that only his former team leader could give him as he fell into his new role.

Once the network was established and Tim had set all of the necessary safety parameters, he looked up to find Ensign Garrity staring at him with a shy smile. He fought back the urge to roll his eyes. _This is NOT what I need right now! How could she possibly be interested in a seasick boy in a bubble?!_ He thought to himself. "If I could have the first name, Ensign."

She began listing names for McGee as he brought up their personnel files, saving them to compare when he was free of the overly-attentive woman in front of him. It wasn't easy to type on the keyboard in his hazmat suit, but he wasn't about to ask the ensign to do it. He felt himself growing more and more aggravated with the situation. He took a deep breath through his nose. _What would Tony do?_ He asked himself. He realized he didn't know. Old Tony would flirt with her, use his charm to get more information from her about their personal lives. He _couldn't_ do that, _didn't want_ to do that.

He was trying to save the fifth file when the video phone chimed and a window popped up, asking if he accepted the feed. He saw it was from Abby and smiled. He opened the window, completely forgetting about the ensign. "Hey Abs."

"Hey, Timmy. I need you to get word to Ducky that Palmer is heading back to NCIS."

"Really? We've only been on board half an hour and he's already stuck on a case?" Tim sat back for a moment as the disbelief and exasperation hit him. A normal case sounded so much better than being stuck on board a boat that was making his stomach feel like a washing machine was going off inside of it.

"Balboa's case broke. His team has been chasing after leads for three days. Things hadn't ended well for their vic. He floated up on the Potomac and some runner spotted him."

"Are you going to have to go back to handle the evidence?" Tim asked, realizing he felt better about his situation knowing that Abby was right there on shore, watching out for them.

"Eventually. Right now, I'm staying until we can get one of our techs out here to monitor things." Abby's exuberance fell. "Are you okay, Timmy? You look really… green."

Tim smiled. "Yeah. Thanks, honey."

"Promise me you'll take care of yourself, Timmy." Abby's voice revealed her honest concern, not just the general paranoia she had whenever they were away on a case.

"I'll be home to you in two days, safe and sound. Promise," Tim said, suddenly feeling ten times more determined and driven.

"You'd better be, buster!" Abby smiled and winked into the camera. "Love you, Tim."

Tim's smile grew to his ears. "Love you, too, Abs."

"Go tell Ducky. I'll talk to you soon." Abby said, feeling her face flush at the realization that she had just told Tim that she loved him for the first time since they had become a couple, and he had said it back. It wasn't how she had intended to tell him. It couldn't even be followed up with a kiss, but it meant just as much. When she saw Tim smile like that, she knew she had made the right move.

"Okay. Later Abs." They signed off and Tim looked up, suddenly remembering that he wasn't alone. He turned bright red, and he knew the suit wasn't even enough to hide it.

"She's really lucky," Garrity said with a dejected smile.

Tim smiled and shook his head, the butterflies loose in his stomach distracting him from the nausea. "No. _I'm_ the lucky one." He moved the file he had been working on to where it needed to be. "What's that last name?"

* * *

Tony had Parke and Critten in separate quarters, going through the belongings of two lieutenants that were among the missing. He was going through the quarters of an Ensign, which was much smaller. He didn't have much to go through, but found the clue they needed under the mattress, just where they were told it would be. When he joined Critten, the younger man was going through a couple of books on the shelf in Lieutenant Snupp's locker.

"What do you got so far?" he asked.

"Looks like a journal of sorts. There is a lot of double-speak from what little I have scanned. We'll have to look at it closer." Tony opened a larger evidence bag and Critten put it in. Tony folded over the sticky seal.

"Anything else?"

"The clue is bizarre. I'm hoping it makes more sense when we put them all together." Critten's face was contorted with his confusion as he handed up the evidence bag with the piece of paper in it.

Tony turned his head at an angle to get a better look. "Yeah. Mine was pretty much the same. Hopefully we can find a clue to help us with our clues." Critten nodded at him, eyebrows raised in agreement.

"Let's go check on Parke. Ensign Rogers was a little too chatty for me, but maybe the brain-game-man was able to get something useful out of him." Tony turned to leave the room, Critten on his heels, smiling to himself, thinking, _He's got Parke's number, already. Wonder if Parke has his_.

"Why do I have a feeling that it takes a lot for someone to be too chatty for you, Agent DiNozzo?" Critten joked.

"Ah, young probie. It all depends on what said someone is chatting about." Tony turned to smirk at the younger agent behind him. That earned a chuckle from him.

A moment later, they were in the quarters with Parke as he went through Lieutenant Vasquez's belongings. Parke had multiple bags in his hands as well, and was writing on one with a marker as he chatted with Rogers. He looked up when Tony entered. "Agent DiNozzo, Ensign Rogers was just telling me that Lieutenant Vasquez played a mean game of chess."

Tony eyed him carefully, thinking about his comment earlier about someone playing both sides of the chessboard. "Really? Which color piece did he prefer?"

Rogers shrugged, oblivious to the side conversation that was happening. "Who knows?"

"Avid players usually prefer one side of the board to another." Tony said while looking at Parke, choosing his words carefully.

"Maybe if we find Vasquez, we can find out which side of the board he takes." Parke looked at Critten to see he was getting the analogy as well.

"Parke, why don't you and Critten go take the pieces of the puzzle back to our quarters. I need to go find Gibbs." Tony handed the bags in his hand to Critten.

"Does Agent Gibbs play chess?" Rogers asked, innocently ignorant to what they were saying between the lines.

Tony turned to the over-eager chatterbox. "Yeah, with human pieces." Tony turned to follow Critten and Parke down the hall, leaving a baffled Rogers in the Lieutenant's quarters.

"I'd hate to be a pawn in that game." Critten said to Parke as quietly as he could from inside his suit with their mics muted.

Tony was right behind them though, and was able to hear. "Yeah, well, depends on what side you're on. I've seen the man take out the whole board with a Knight, a Bishop and the Queen." Tony's voice was quiet, meant for the three of them only.

"What about the King?" Parke asked, still following the analogy.

"Didn't move once the entire game. Didn't have to. Knows just what piece to play when."

"Sounds like an experienced player." Parke said, a bit of question to it.

"Gotta be able to trust your pieces." Tony looked Parke in the eyes for a moment, knowing the sentiment was being expressed. Parke nodded slowly.

They headed into the room together, closing the door behind them. Parke turned to Tony. "There's coded notes here that elude to keeping something secret from the rest of the six. I'm going to need to go over it, but it says something about a "gift exchange". _If_ there is a double cross, it sounds like this would be the guy."

"I don't know. I found a coded journal that doesn't sound much better in Lieutenant Snupp's things too. We should run some key phrases and see if there's any overlap."

Tony shook his head. This was not good. "I'll be back soon. Make sure all of that stuff is tagged, get prints off the journal and puzzle pieces and photograph _everything_."

Once Tony had left, they got to work.

"Sounds like bossman has some serious loyalty." Critten said softly, sitting his stack of evidence on the desk and pulling out the fingerprinting kit.

"Definitely. I have a feeling he's going to demand it as well." Parke said, lost in thought.

"Loyalty is earned." Critten said, starting to drift off into thought himself for a moment. "I'd hate to know what happened that earned Gibbs that kind of loyalty."

"If the stories are true, I have a feeling I already know." Parke looked up and met Critten's eyes.

"Care to share?"

"Not until I have some more information." Parke said.

Critten nodded. He knew that if anyone could figure DiNozzo out, Parke could. From there, they would decide if the new guy deserved to be trusted, and if so, how much. For the past six months, he had observed as the MCRT interacted and wondered if Kathy's team would ever be that close. She wasn't an easy woman to get close to, always too worried about proving herself in the boys' club to truly see eye to eye with him and Parke. If DiNozzo did prove to be worthy of their trust, he had a feeling he would gladly give it. When he joined the agency, he was looking for that kind of camaraderie. He and Parke had clicked pretty much right away. The jury was definitely still out on DiNozzo, but Critten was starting to feel hopeful. _This just might work,_ he thought _. We'll see._


	19. Chapter 19

Tony found Gibbs and Ziva down the hall, going through the things of the other three MIA sailors, all midshipmen, and all housed in the same quarters. Finding no one else in the room, he closed the door behind him, causing Ziva and Gibbs to look up at him.

"There was evidence in our Lieutenants' quarters that they may have been working both sides of the game. We don't know until we go through it all. There's a journal and some other stuff. Critten and Parke are printing it and the scavenger hunt clues now so we can dive in when Tim gets back. I can take your clues if you want and print them… start working on the puzzle."

Gibbs only nodded at him.

"Any word from the not-so-probie about the condition of the sailors in sickbay?" he asked.

"Not yet. Expecting him any minute." Gibbs voice was tight and Tony got the feeling that something was wrong that wasn't being said.

"Well, let me know. You know where I'll be." Tony said just as tersely, turning to take the bagged paper clues that Ziva held out to him.

"We should be done here soon." Gibbs voice was softer this time. Tony turned around to see Gibbs' expression was softer as well, but just for a moment as their eyes met. It was an odd sort of apology, a glance to let Tony know that his attitude wasn't personal. Tony acknowledged it with the slightest nod.

"What do you think the chances are that our three midshipmen just happened to get roomed together?" Tony asked, making sure to make eye contact with Ziva as well.

"Considering the fourth bunk is empty, I do not believe it was an act of fate." Ziva said.

"It sure as hell wasn't a coincidence," Gibbs growled.

Tony began to consider what wasn't being said. The pieces fell together. Gibbs' pissy attitude, the three being bunked together without a fourth, and people playing for both sides of the board. Tony's head fell back as he realized that Gibbs believed that there were more people involved. After all, someone had to arrange it so that the six didn't room with anyone that wasn't part of their little circle, and none of them had the power to arrange that by themselves. They would have had to involve the quartermaster and possibly the skipper himself. They couldn't trust anyone outside of the team.

Gibbs watched as Tony realized what he had figured out. Ziva hadn't understood what was going on yet, but of course, Tony would. Tony could read him like a book. It had made so many cases easier, and he knew that it was already making their relationship go a little smoother. With just a little bit of eye contact, he had watched as Tony relaxed, knowing his anger wasn't directed at him. He took a deep breath. He was going to miss having that advantage during cases. McGee had become a great agent, but that unspoken communication was an important ingredient that the kid just didn't bring to the table. They had their moments, but he and McGee would never be able to communicate like that.

"I'll see you back in the room," he said, shaking his head as he turned around and left

Ziva looked from him to Gibbs and back. "I am missing something, am I not?"

Gibbs looked over at the open door. He found a pencil and a scrap of paper.

_More involved._

He held it up for Ziva to read. Her eyes closed and she sighed heavily. " _People?_ " she mouthed.

"Yup."

"That is disconcerting." She regained her composure as best as she could. "Keep your friends close."

"And your enemies closer." Gibbs responded quietly. "Let's get back to the room. There's nothing else here." Gibbs fumbled with the bracelet-looking device on his wrist to turn his com on. "McGee! Report!"

McGee suddenly appeared around the side of the door, looking greener than usual. "Sorry, Boss. Ducky was dosing me with the good stuff. It should start helping anytime now. They aren't infected. Well, they have something, but it's not Ebola. Ducky and I just drew samples. There are no traces of Ebola in their blood, just a normal flu bug."

"Did you get word to the CIA?"

"On my way there when I heard you bellow."

"I'm going to let that one go, but only because if I hit you in the head right now, you'd probably puke all over yourself." Gibbs said stopping between McGee and the doorframe as he squeezed past him to leave.

"You can get me double next time, Boss."

"Oh, believe me, I will." Gibbs smirked and headed down the hallway. Tim felt his lips twitch at the edges with Gibbs' teasing and acceptance of his return fire. That was new for them, and he rather liked it.

The three of them paraded down the hall and into their little room. They closed the hatch door behind them and turned it. Gibbs held up a finger that silenced everyone. He took his scrap of paper and wrote on it again.

_Can you sweep for bugs?_

He held it up to McGee whose eyes widened upon reading it and then nodded. He took the note from Gibbs' hand and held it up to Critten, whose eyes mirrored Tim's and shot up to Gibbs, and then to Tony for confirmation. Tony nodded. Critten and McGee moved silently amongst the things they brought with them, holding up things and nodding at one another. They were walking around the room in less than a minute while everyone else stood in the middle of the room in a huddle, giving them as much space as possible to move about the tiny cabin.

Tony was right next to Gibbs. Their eyes met and locked for a moment. They were in serious trouble if they couldn't trust the leadership on the boat, and they both knew it. There was no way to get off the ship without clearance. Tony noticed Critten raise his hand signaling that he found a bug. A moment later, Tim's hand raised his as well. Tony moved to Critten and Gibbs moved to Tim, both assessing the position of the bug and noting that they were only audio transmitters.

Tony picked up the one by him with a wadded up glove, and flipped it over, looking for any markings. There was a set of numbers stamped on it. He carefully set it on the table and pointed towards the printing kit. Parke was right there with it, already taking out what they were going to need. Gibbs joined them at the table with the other bug, setting it gently down on the table. Tony, very gently, removed the fingerprint tape and passed it to Parke, who had just handed the powder brush to Gibbs.

They worked quickly, Tim reaching for the printed tape that Critten had transferred to the scan sheet. Tim scanned it and began running it through the personnel files of everyone on the boat, and then through the wider database. Tony turned to Critten and snapped his fingers for a pencil. Critten pulled a pen from the front of his laptop bag and handed it to Tony.

_Start tracing the signal. Where is it transferring to?_

Critten nodded, loading a program on his own laptop and hooking the bug finding device to it. He started hacking into it as Tim began to run the second partial print from the other bug. They both worked quietly, their suited fingers hitting keys the only sound in the room.

Gibbs, Tony and Ziva started laying the puzzle pieces side by side, switching up the orders to see if anything made sense.

They laid it out in a few different directions and after reaching grabbing each other's pieces, and smacking them down on the table in different orders, they settled on one.

_Needles and pins Needles and pins Sew me a sail to_

_catch the wind Sew me a sail Strong as the gale_

_Carpenter bring out your hammer and nails Hammer and nails_

_hammer and nails build me a boat to go chasing the whales_

_Chasing the whales Sailing the blue Find me a captain, sign me a crew_

_Captain and crew, captain and crew, take me oh take me to anywhere new._

Tony looked from it to Gibbs. He was the only person in the room that had ever had a child, built sail boats, and had the most experience on a ship. If any of them had a chance to know this one at the top of his head, it would be him. One look told him that it was lost on Gibbs, too. It was ironic how appropriately it fit his lover, but, seeing as they were on a ship, he figured that took enough of the coincidence out of it to make it a reference to him.

Tony pulled his phone out and started typing the poem into the search box. All he could find out was that it was in a children's book of poems by some guy named Shel Silverstien. He passed the phone with its results to Ziva, who read it and shook her head, lost at any significant meaning.

"Boss?" Tim said quietly, a confused look on his face. Gibbs turned around and moved to the computer. The rest of the group got closer as well. A photo was up of a tattooed man with a black sign in front of his chest and lines on the wall behind him. It was a mugshot from Philly. Tim pulled up a rapsheet that Tony recognized as perfect cover. He shook his head. The fingerprint had brought up an undercover agent's deep cover. Parke looked at Tony and mirrored his frustration. Gibbs motioned like a shovel to McGee who immediately got to work digging deeper for more information.

Critten waved Tony over and he went to his side. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, waving Gibbs over to look. Critten had traced the signals of the bugs back to the CIA. The room wasn't being bugged by members of the crew. The signal was being sent beyond the confines of the ship. Gibbs picked up one of the bugs and held it up in the air.

"Hey McGee? Got any music on there from Abby's collection?" Tim looked up to see Gibbs holding up the bug. Tony crossed his arms, a bright smile on his face, nodding in approval at Gibbs' evil genius. _CIA,_ Gibbs mouthed. Tim mouthed it back, getting a nod of confirmation. Ziva had her hand over her mouth, trying to keep from laughing as Tim smiled and searched through his computer for one of Abby's harder tracks. He found the perfect disc and motioned for Gibbs to put the bugs on his pc speakers. Turning the sound all the way up on his laptop, he hit play.

Tony cuffed Gibbs' shoulder with a plastic hand. They were all imagining the CIA's official eavesdroppers grabbing their heads as the horrifying sounds of death metal hurt their ears. Gibbs shook his head and smiled. Parke looked over at Critten to watch his reaction, a smile on his own face. Critten watched Tony closely, smiling a bit crookedly and nodding to himself. He turned back to his computer and watched the wavelengths streaking his screen as the transmission went through. It looked like a colorful mess, frequencies bouncing around, represented by colors that generally didn't get used because not much makes the sounds that Abby's music did.

Gibbs nodded at Tony, who grabbed the bugs off of Tim's speakers and dropped them on the ground before stomping on them. Once they were thoroughly crushed, the room broke out into applause and whooping hollers. Critten moved to slip his fingers in his mouth to whistle before he remembered he couldn't, then clapping and laughing. "You guys are nuts!"

"You have no idea," Tim said with a smirk.

"I think I'm figuring it out," Critten replied, looking up to give Tony an approving smile before looking back at Tim.

Parke went back to the puzzle pieces. "So, what do we know about this thing?" He read it aloud so that Tim and Critten could hear what they were working with. Tony told them the little bit he had found.

"Oh! Yeah! He wrote that book about the tree. The one that gives the boy his branches to build a house and then its trunk so he could build a boat, that one." Tim said excitedly, then looked around the room to find that every head had turned his way. "What? My sister is eight years younger than me! I read to her a lot as a kid."

Parke looked over the pieces. "Let's not try to think too hard. What would be the obvious places this makes you think the virus could be hidden?"

Ziva stepped next to him. "A sewing box."

"A sail? This ship wouldn't have a sail anywhere on her would she, Agent Gibbs?" Parke asked over his shoulder before looking to meet his gaze.

Gibbs should his head. "Not unless it was on one of the lifeboats."

"What about a toolbox?" Tony asked. "Hammer and nails?"

Parke nodded his head and Tim came in behind Tony, pointing at the papers. "What could "chasing whales" mean?"

"No idea." Tony said. "But "Find me a captain, sign me a crew… We're going to have to consider that one." Tony raised an eyebrow at Gibbs who raised one back.

"I will go back to the midshipmen's quarters to see if I can locate a sewing box or toolbox." Ziva turned to leave.

Tony turned to Critten. "Go scrounge with her, and then check out the other quarters. Parke and I are going to go help Ducky. When you're done, you'll find us there." Critten locked down his laptop and followed Ziva from the room.

"McProbie. Where are the personnel files on our missing six?" Tony asked.

"We only have digital so far. I'll send them to your phone."

"Will you send them to Parke's, too?" Tim nodded. "Thanks. Can you find any other names in those files that may help us figure out who we're supposed to grill?" Tony said, already bringing up his email on his phone to receive the files.

"I'll see. Give me a minute."

Tony started going through the personnel files on his phone, getting a brief idea of each of their MIA and what types of questions to be asking. He looked up at Gibbs who was shuffling through a bag of stuff that was sent with him. He found whatever he was looking for and turned around to see Tony staring at him.

"You planning on talking to the Skipper?"

Gibbs nodded. "Not yet, though. I want to check in with Ducky." It was Tony's turn to nod. Gibbs tossed something towards Tony and he reached out, catching it easily despite the restrictions of the hazmat suit. It was a small flashlight. "Figure we'll need it to hunt for a toolbox."

Tony nodded and looked for a place to clip it by its small d-ring to his suit. He found a utility loop on his waist and his eyebrows raised. "They think of everything," he muttered to himself so quietly no one could hear him through his suit.

"Let's go," Gibbs said, walking past them to the door. Tony noticed he had attached the flashlight in the same place on his suit and smiled.

"Tim, let me know via email or text if you have any more info. Don't com it." Tony said.

"Will do."

Tony, Parke and Gibbs headed down the hallway towards sickbay. Two staircases up, and one staircase down, they had finally arrived to see Ducky already receiving customers. The line of people outside the door had various looks of nervous anger and exhaustion on their faces. Most of them probably were coming off of third shift and wanted to get to sleep. It was starting to be that time.

"Ah Jethro, Anthony, Gregory. Care to join me?" Ducky looked surprisingly calm despite the disgruntled look the man he was poking gave him.

"Actually, Duck, we're going to leave Parke with you. I need to steal DiNozzo for a bit, and then we'll join you." Tony looked at Gibbs to figure out what he was thinking.

"Wonderful. Is Timothy going to be free soon? I could use his help to draw from these tired folks. Would make this go faster."

"Soon, Duck. He's doing some research first." Gibbs said.

"Very well," Ducky said, looking up at Gibbs for answers to unspoken questions. He wasn't sure what to make of what he saw.

"Take a minute to go over that email Agent McGee sent you before you dive in, Parke." Tony gave him a pointed look and received a nod before he left the room on Gibbs' heels.

Tony followed Gibbs down a hallway and a flight of stairs to a cluster of rooms. Gibbs scanned each door to find which one they needed, and opened the one directly in front of them. He waited for Tony to step in behind him and closed the hatch. The room was dimly lit by a single overhead bulb, casting odd shadows on their faces with the suits hanging over them.

"What are you thinking?" Tony asked, knowing Gibbs had asked him to come with him for a reason other than finding a toolbox.

"I'm thinking that this is a clusterfuck."

Tony reached out a hand and rested it on the older man's chest. Even with the suit between them, Tony could feel Jethro's heart start beating harder and faster. Jethro placed his hand on Tony's to keep it there a moment.

"I know how much you hate mind games and surprises. Everything is easier to control when you don't have extra crap in the way of finding answers. Let's break this down. Do you really believe there are more people compromised on this ship?"

Jethro's eyes closed as he let Tony talk him through the mess in his head, neatly organizing it into specific questions. "Yes. Probably even the Captain."

"To what extent and why?" Tony prodded gently.

"Because of the six getting separate quarters, and the ability to get them off the ship without alarm, and the clues. To what extent, I'm not sure until I speak with him."

"And you don't want to speak to him until we have all of the clues figured out." Tony said, receiving a nod. "Then let's find this damned toolbox."

Gibbs smiled at Tony and looked around. "No better place to start."

They rummaged through the storage room they had snuck into, and looked for a toolbox. They found a couple of them, but there was nothing in them that could possibly be related to their situation. They left the room and started going through a small closet next to the larger storage room. This one was a janitor's closet and there was nothing in there either.

They were searching for over two hours when Ziva came over their coms. "Gibbs, Tony, I think you should meet us back in the room."

"On the way Ziva."

"Not like we're having much luck ourselves," Tony said, shrugging at Gibbs. "I'm going to go back to sick bay and get Parke. Check in with him and then we'll send him back to keep questioning while he works with Ducky."

"Do you think he's actually getting any questioning done?" Gibbs asked as they headed for a staircase.

"Yeah. I have a feeling he's questioning without even making them feel like they're being questioned. He's got that kind of thing going for him."

Gibbs turned and raised an eyebrow, then shrugged.

Tony nodded. "He's got the profiler and social work background; makes him good with people. I've noticed he's watched every reaction Critten has had to what we're doing. I think he's got a bit of a big brother complex with him, and I am trying to figure out why."

"Anything in their files suggest what it's about?" Gibbs asked.

"Not from the little bit of time I got to spend with the files. I'll find out eventually." They had reached the end of the hall that they would have to diverge. "See you in a few."

Gibbs nodded and headed through the doorway, leaving Tony to go up one more flight of stairs. Tony came around the corner towards the sick bay and was confronted with a line of people that stretched almost the entire length of the hallway, going in the opposite direction. Tony was glad that he wasn't coming from the other end. It would have been really awkward squeezing past everyone in his suit. He got enough angry and confused looks as he entered the room without having to rub them all the wrong way.

"How's it going in here, Ducky?" Tony asked, nodding to Tim and Parke.

"Ah, Anthony. Business is booming. Any luck on your end?"

"Possibly. Sorry, but I need to steal your help for a while." Tony felt bad, but there was nothing he could do.

"Sir?" The man Tim was slapping a band-aid on looked up.

"Tony, or Agent DiNozzo if you must, but never sir," Tony said, again feeling that weird affronted feeling at being called "sir". His cringe earned a smile from the man who stood up.

"Agent DiNozzo. I'm Ensign Pete Bailey. I would be happy to help if it's needed. I'm a nurse. Well, when I'm on land. I'm a reservist." The man was slightly shorter than Tony when he stood, and had a kind, genuine smile. Tony could easily see him in a hospital working with people. He reminded Tony a bit of Parke, in that way that he looked like he could talk to every person on the boat and not make a single one of them feel uncomfortable.

"That's completely up to Doctor Mallard and your C.O. If it's okay with them, then it's okay with me." _Who am I to turn down good help?_ Tony thought.

"I'll go get it cleared with her, if it's okay with you Doctor." Bailey said, turning to Ducky who shrugged and nodded.

"The more the merrier. I'm not opposed."

"Thanks. I miss being able to work with people like this. On the ship, I'm a deck runner. Seeing as nothing is coming on or off the ship right now, I'm going insane." Bailey said, then smiled and nodded before going to find his C.O.

"Come on McPokem. Boss needs us back in the room." Tim nodded and got up, stretching. "Parke, you ready?"

"Oh yeah."

Tony watched Parke's expression. He was definitely relieved to be getting out of the room. Whether it was people's attitudes, the heebie-jeebies or information he needed to unload behind his eagerness, he'd have to wait to find out.

They headed straight for the room and locked it down again.

"Sweep it." Gibbs said and both Tim and Critten began running their bug detectors around the room. Thankfully, this sweep was clean.

Ziva and Critten moved to the small table that Critten's laptop was on and turned it towards everyone. Tony and Tim bent forward to read it. Parke looked at Critten before bending to look at it as well. Gibbs shook his head. "Will somebody tell me what the hell we're looking at?"

Tony realized that Gibbs wouldn't be able to have glasses in his suit, and the laptop was no bigger than his computer monitor.

"Needle and thread." Ziva said. "We were going through Lieutenant Supp's quarters again, and we noticed a small needlepoint hanging on the wall. When we removed it from the frame, there was a slip of paper with this website on it."

"Okay, but wha-"

Tony cut Gibbs off. "It's a message board, Boss. There's a conversation here, and it looks like it's between seven people. Our six and someone else?"

"We've been reading it over, and it looks like the other person is their CIA handler."

"The site wasn't nearly as secure as it should have been. Something either went really wrong with setting up the security protocols, or whoever set them up intentionally left it easily accessible so that when we found the clues, if we needed to take this route, we'd understand what we needed to," Critten explained.

"Or we could be walking into a trap." Parke's tone made everyone stop.

Critten shook his head. "I don't think so. There aren't really instructions here. Not for us. There's a lot of between the lines talk, and we're seeing a pattern between it and the journal. The journal isn't saying that the Lieutenant is a traitor. It's saying that he's been following a traitor, someone that he believes knows about them on board."

"McGeek, can you pull the file for Ensign Bailey? Check him out and make sure everything is good there." Tony said as Tim's head went down and his fingers got to work at their keys.

"Bailey?" Gibbs asked.

"He's a reservist we just met that offered to help Ducky. Says he's a nurse. I believe him, but better safe than sorry." Tony watched Parke as he read over the messages on the site. "Any insight from the folks you talked to in sick bay, Parke?"

"Not specifically. Almost everyone I talked to was perplexed about one thing though." Parke's eyes met Tony's.

"Which is?"

"How in the hell did six people _sneak_ into a lifeboat, get it down the side of the ship, and not one person see? One guy, Midshipman Larsen, had gone through the security tapes himself since that's what he does, and he said that they had it perfectly synchronized with the cameras or something because there wasn't a trace of them heading towards the lifeboat. It just suddenly vanished. I'd have thought that you wouldn't be able to do that on a moving boat this size, at least not with a boat so close to the rear like the one they chose." Parke looked confused, shaking his head in thought as he spoke.

"The ship was in motion?" Gibbs asked, looking at Tony who suddenly realized how messed up this situation was about to get.

"Yeah, and going pretty fast, too." Parke confirmed.

"Something is not right here," Ziva said, watching Tony and Gibbs' exchange.

"There's no way." Tony said, never breaking eye contact with Gibbs.

"No, there isn't." Gibbs' voice raised in his frustration. "There is _no way_ that a lifeboat could safely disengage from a ship this size going at a full clip. The current along the sides would cause it to capsize, and suck it into the propellers at the back and sides."

"You have to crash before you can escape." Tony shook his head remembering something someone told him once while afloat.

"Why didn't the Skipper say something to us?" Critten asked. "He had to have known that there was no way that the lifeboat could have been lowered if the ship was going that fast."

"He knew it was a decoy." Tim said, joining the conversation.

"What do we do?" Critten asked, looking frustrated but holding it together. "Do we confront him, I mean, what do we do?"

"First, we need to find out what it was a decoy for. If the six people we're missing didn't get on that lifeboat, where in the hell did they go?" Gibbs came up behind Tim. "McGee, pull up those schematics again."

Tim pulled them up and Tony joined them behind the screen. "There's many places on this ship that could hide a vial of disease, but not many that could hide six people."

"Why would they hide? That doesn't really make much sense," Critten asked.

"Unless they figured out who the double agent was." Ziva came around to stand behind Tim as well. "If I were one of the six, I would actually insist on breaking off in pairs."

"That's true. I doubt all six would be in the same place." Tony leaned in as Tim scrolled through the schematics. "When the crew searched the ship, they weren't searching for people that were hiding. They wouldn't have looked in the same places we need to; storage containers, small closets in big rooms, things like that are all going to have to be searched."

"Maybe not." Tim left the schematics page and started tapping into a satellite feed.

Critten's face lit up. "The ship has probably been still long enough by now to reduce the industrial heat! We can probably do an infrared satellite image!"

Tim smiled and nodded as his fingers worked their magic and brought up the feed. It was hard to decipher considering the boat was full of people. Tim brought the schematics back up. "Okay, so we know where the sleeping quarters are, the dining quarters, the sick bay, and the command stations. We just have to see where the heat signatures are in the storage areas and maybe a few others."

Tim made some notations and then brought back the satellite. He blew the image up for everyone to see and slowly began inching his way across the ship. Within minutes, they had a few possible locations. "We need split up and try these places out. Hopefully we'll find our missing people, but the question is, what do we do when we find them? Why are they hiding if their contingency plan was to evacuate?"

Gibbs' voice was eerily calm. "If the boat was moving too fast to evacuate, then this might be a back-up plan, which means one of them may actually be sick and hiding out until they find out if it's Ebola. Either that, or they went into hiding from their mole. Either way, be extremely cautious."

They split up the locations and Tony took his team, while Gibbs took his, and went in search of those in hiding. They all turned their coms on and Tony told Ducky that things were progressing, but didn't say anything other than that. He received the briefest response he had ever gotten from the man about anything, which let them all know he was still poking and prodding people.

Tony's group headed for a storage area at one end of the ship while Gibbs' team headed for another. They didn't speak as they went, and they ignored every look they received along the way, not making eye contact with anyone. Each agent wanted off the ship as much as the people that had been stationed on it for months. They were tired, uncomfortable, and they had been playing mind games all day now. If they found that the six really were still on board, then they could confirm their reason for hiding, pull into port, and get out of their hazmat suits.

Gibbs felt himself growing more and more irritable by the minute. He hadn't had any coffee in over twelve hours at this point, and he was exhausted. They hadn't gotten much sleep before they were called out, and he wanted nothing more than to be done with this whole screwed up case and be home with Tony, in bed.

Tony's team got to their storage area first. They went in and split up, moving between crates to where the heat signatures were they had seen on the satellite imagery. They realized that there were three generators along the wall and lowered their flashlights. "Generators, Gibbs. Going to site B."

Gibbs, Tim and Ziva had all heard Tony's misfortune, but couldn't answer. They had made their way into their storage room, and there was indeed motion in the back corner of the room. It was frantic shuffling and they moved silently towards it, Tim staying back a bit to make sure someone was close to the door in case they tried to escape. Gibbs and Ziva approached the crates cautiously. Both had grabbed random objects they had come across to use as weapons since they weren't allowed to bring a gun on board with them. Ziva had a crowbar, and Gibbs had a fire extinguisher. They approached the large wooden crates in the corner and Gibbs suddenly barked out, "NCIS! Come out from behind the crates!"

Startled voices could be heard and then two people, a man and a woman emerged from behind the crates, hair disheveled and clothes being buttoned. Gibbs looked at Ziva with disappointment, rolling his eyes. "What the hell?"

The two people continued fixing their uniforms. Gibbs just shook his head and walked away. They looked to Ziva for answers. "Not who we were looking for."

"Nothing here. Just a couple of sailors finding time for some nooky." Tim said into his com.

"I'm jealous." Tony simply said over his. His team was approaching their second storage area. They went in quietly, but not silently, and closed the door behind them. The lights were on and they looked around. There were multiple large wooden crates in this room, and a vast wall that moved to allow for unloading at the docks. Tony went one way and Parke and Critten went the other, making sure to reestablish eye contact between crates. Tony suddenly stopped. There was a large wooden crate in the middle of the room. The crate had SAILS written in large red print on the sides and an address marker for D.C. Looking up, Tony noticed that there were large gaps about a centimeter wide between the planks along the top, and then noticed a matching set along the bottom.

He motioned for Parke and Critten to join him around the container. They immediately saw what he did and exchanged eye contact with him. They didn't have weapons, and they didn't have anything to open the crate with.

Tony took a deep breath, and as loudly as he could through his suit, yelled. "NCIS! Is anybody in there?" He reached forward and knocked on the side of the crate and then jumped back. There were a couple of shuffling noises and a groan from inside. The three men started looking around the room for something to open the crate with. Tony started speaking into his com. "We need help in storage room SB314! Bring Ducky and a crow bar!"

Ducky's voice was coming over the com before anyone's. "I'll be there as soon as I can!"

"We're coming, too, Tony. Hold on." Tim's voice was wobbling in that way it gets when you're running hard.

Parke had found a metal pole and was trying to wedge it into the crack at the bottom of the crate but it was too wide. Critten was at the other side, pulling on it from the top crack, trying to get it to open. He was able to pull a small, splintery piece of wood off no bigger than his hand. "Can you hear me? Talk to me!" he said, hollering into the box the best he could.

There was another groan and a voice began to try to speak. "We're here. Who- who is it?" The voice of a woman started floating through the box.

Tony sighed in relief. "NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Who am I speaking to?"

"Ensign Bethany Maloney. What- what's going- what's happening?" Her voice was groggy as all three men started pulling at the small hole that Critten had managed, knowing that they needed to get more air into that box.

Gibbs, Ziva and Tim came into the room, not sure what to expect. When they saw the three men tearing apart the large box, Gibbs took the crowbar from Ziva and started prying the end of it open immediately. Once he got one side loosened, they all started grabbing edges and trying to pull it back. Ducky appeared behind them and pushed them out of the way to get into the box. Tony and Gibbs both shone their flashlights into the box, revealing five people, some laying completely still like they were asleep, one groaning and trying to move, and a woman, whom Tony assumed was Ensign Maloney, was half sitting up, trying to prop herself against the wall while blocking the light from her face.

"Ensign Maloney?" Tony asked crouching down next to Ducky, who turned and looked at McGee.

"Timothy, I need for you to go get whoever you can from sick bay, five stretchers, people to carry them, and any oxygen you can get, quickly!" McGee turned to the unconscious people first, trying his damnedest to feel for a pulse through this suit. Once he was confident they were breathing, he began checking their eyes with his own flashlight.

Maloney looked from Tony to Ducky, glazed eyes concerned for her crewmates. "A-are they o-okay?" She asked, her voice barely more than a breath.

"I'm not sure my dear. What happened here?"

Parke stepped over them and started helping Ducky check on the unconscious men, watching Maloney as he could.

"We had to- had to hide. He was going to- going- going to ki-kill us."

Tony noticed that she was shaking like she was cold. He turned to Ziva and Critten. "Hey, try to find us something to wrap her up in. I think she's coming off something." His voice was quiet and he turned back to her, Gibbs standing behind him now to try to hear.

The young woman wrapped her arms around herself. "We knew something was wrong. Planned… planned this… months ago."

Ziva reached in, handing Tony canvas sacks with which to cover the shivering woman. He started tucking them around her, trying to keep whatever warmth he could from escaping.

"Vasquez turned. We couldn't… couldn't trust him." She stopped to take a deep breath as Ducky put the stethoscope to her chest. After a moment she continued. "Fentanyl, Doctor. We used Fentanyl. Couldn't go crazy in the box. Knowing we had… had it with us."

"You mean the virus is here in the crate with us?" Gibbs asked as everyone froze except for Tony who turned to look at Gibbs. Tony couldn't help it as the shiver ran down his spine, setting his hairs on end in prickly goosebumps. Gibbs noticed and swallowed hard.

"In the thermos… in the lunchbox in… in…. in the corner." Maloney looked at the corner past the groaning man.

Ducky turned to him next, checking his eyes. The man was unconscious, but was not having a good reaction to the Fentanyl. "Ziva, do you have any more of that canvas?" Ducky asked and Ziva disappeared again.

"Stick with us, Maloney. Why are you all hiding in a box with the virus, drugged out of your minds?" Tony said, taking her hand in his suited one.

"Vasquez was going to kill us. Shipping ourselves to safety. Drugs were to keep us out enough so we didn't… didn't go crazy in the box. Fentanyl was all we could get. I took less, so that I could re-dose the guys since I'm best with a needle. Can't do too much at once. I've been trying to wake up for-r-r-r an hour-r-r-r now. Snupp isn't… isn't taking it… it well." She nodded at the man that Ducky was looking over and they all realized that was Lieutenant Snupp.

"Where is Vasquez?" Tony asked.

"Don't know. Went missing, so we put our plan into effect. Hoped we'd be off this boat by now, somewhere safe." Maloney's shakes were lessening a tad bit and she was becoming more alert. It was a good sign.

Tim showed up with an oxygen tank in each hand, masks hanging from tubes over his arms. He was on the ground next to Tony and Tony took one of the masks, immediately placing it over Maloney's face. She held it on with a shaky hand. "Why aren't we on land?"

"Because you guys went missing. CIA said that your contingency plan was to take a lifeboat and evacuate if one of you got sick so that you didn't infect the crew, so that is what we assumed happened. There's even a lifeboat missing." Tony explained.

"No one was sick. Who said we were sick?"

Tony turned around and looked at Gibbs. They gave each other a look that said there was still something missing. Parke caught Tony's eye when Tony turned back to Maloney. He was holding an oxygen mask over a man's face and raising an eyebrow at them. Ziva and Critten had heard part of the story, but were busy trying to tuck canvas bags around the midshipmen and Snupps.

A battalion of uniformed men arrived with stretchers and took instructions from Ducky on how to place them and carry the drugged up sailors to sick bay. He and Tim followed them up, carrying oxygen tanks.

Gibbs, Ziva, Tony, Parke and Critten moved to the side of the room to talk in private.

"So where the hell is Vasquez?" Tony asked.

"Good question." Parke said quietly to himself as he shook his head thinking.

"Since no one is sick, does that mean we can take these stupid suits off?" Critten asked, shifting his around his shoulders.

"No!" They all said at once so that the young agent stepped back.

"Okay?" He said, startled.

"We don't know what Vasquez has done. Until we confirm his whereabouts, we can't be sure things are safe." Tony explained.

Critten nodded. "Makes sense. Sorry I asked."

"Don't apologize," came out of both Tony and Gibbs' mouths at the same time. Both Parke and Ziva began to laugh, and then looked at each other suspiciously, ask if to ask what one another was laughing about.

Tony shook his head and Gibbs reached up to slap it, but stopped right before hitting the blue helmet part of the suit. They exchanged a look and a smirk.

"Let's head back to the room. We'll do some digging, and then we need to have a little talk with the Skipper." Gibbs shuffled Critten, Parke and Ziva towards the door. They were halfway down the hall and Gibbs hadn't left the room yet. Tony stood next to him, leaning against the wall. Gibbs looked over and wondered how he still managed to look so damn enticing trapped in a blue hazmat suit.

"Forgot I'm not allowed to beat you up anymore since you're a lead now." Gibbs' smirk said it all.

"You can head slap me whenever you damn well please. I'm always going to be one of yours, Jethro." Tony gave him a coy smile and slipped past him into the hallway.

Gibbs knew that Tony had meant his words to be seductive, but he had needed to hear them on a whole other level. He took a deep breath and watched his lover and former SFA sauntering down the hall. He wanted to go upstairs and break the Skipper in three until he gave them an honest answer about what he knew. He couldn't wait to get off the ship.

He followed Tony down the hall and up the stairs, far enough behind to get his thoughts together. The five had been hiding, and yet somehow there was evidence that they had activated their contingency plan, but really, they had activated their own back-up contingency plan. Even then, the clues all pointed to the crate they were in. Something was missing and he hoped that their no-longer missing sailors upstairs would be able to help them fill in the clues once they woke up and stabilized.

He entered the room to find that Tony already had Critten put to work at the laptop, checking into the past of Lieutenant Vasquez, and Parke and Ziva were huddling around the second laptop, reading the message board and discussing double meanings. He watched for a moment while Tony explained something to Critten, gesturing with his hands and he noticed that Critten was hanging onto his every word. It wasn't in the creepy way that Jacobs' had held onto his during their op, but more like the way Tony used to hold onto his when he first joined the team.

Gibbs took a deep breath and watched on as the realization hit him that Tony was never coming back to his team. Gibbs knew, watching Tony there with Critten, watching how he had been all day, that Tony belonged in charge. It was what he was made for, and he was doing a really great job with it, especially under such odd and demanding circumstances. No matter how much he wanted Tony back on his team in a year, he knew that he couldn't and wouldn't stand in the way of letting his lover shine. He deserved it.

Ziva's voice saying, "Gibbs!" and Parke's saying, "Boss!" had everyone flocking to their computer. It wasn't lost on either Tony or Gibbs that Parke had just called Tony 'boss' so naturally, but other than a glance at one another, they would have to discuss it later.

"Look at this. There was a message sent yesterday morning, and someone replied to it. If five of them were trapped in the box, that means only Velasquez could have sent the transmission."

"Unless one of the others had their cell phone with them." Tony suggested.

"Nope. The reply transmission came from a terminal upstairs. The original was from their handler," Parke said.

"Vasquez is on board somewhere." Gibbs said.

"Yep."

"Give me a few minutes and I'll see if I can pinpoint the terminal, and then we can look through video feed to see where he went." Critten sat down at his laptop, fingers moving over the keys as best he could in the plastic catacomb that was irritating the crap out of him.

"What do you think the message means?" Gibbs asked looking over it. It was in a sort of code, and he hadn't been able to look over any of the messages to get a feel for it.

"He's telling him to stay low, that if he is found, they will get the information out of him, and he won't be able to deliver the sample," Parke said, sitting back with arms crossed, squinting at the screen.

"But the sample is with Ducky," Ziva said.

"Do we know for sure that it's the real thing?" Tony asked.

"Hey Duck!" Gibbs bellowed into the com.

"What can I do for you, Jethro?" Ducky asked.

"Test the sample. Make sure it's legit."

"Let me see if that is even possible, and I'll get back with you." Ducky said, sounding skeptical.

"Why wouldn't it be possible, Ducky?" Tony asked.

"Because I am not able to open certain containers up on a ship full of people without the proper isolation equipment. I'll need a minute to ascertain whether or not this vessel has what we need." Both men could tell that Ducky was getting to be exhausted if he was sounding so cranky. He rarely took that tone with either of them.

"Let us know as soon as you can, because we have reason to doubt it's the real deal." Gibbs' voice softened this time, but the urgency was still there. He knew Ducky was playing doctor with the crew's physician to the five, and he probably already had Tim back on drawing blood from the crew.

"Got the terminal! Now to get the video." Critten moved excitedly as he typed, not able to sit still. Tony realized how different that was from McGee. Tim got really still and focused as he worked. Critten fidgeted and squirmed, eventually settling with tapping his foot and shaking his knee.

"Got him exiting the room! Now, to try to track him." Everyone came to crowd behind him and the small screen. "Okay, we have him in the hallway for twelve seconds, then he turns down this corridor. Let me bring up that footage." They watched as a few moments later, Critten set the time frame in a small box and the footage came up that revealed Vasquez coming towards another camera. As he approached, they all realized that he looked extremely nervous, if not terrified. They followed the footage as he went back to his room, barely sneaking in before someone came around the bend. He was out just a couple of minutes later with a small plastic looking pack on his back.

"Is that…?" Tony asked.

"Looks like it to me. Christ." Gibbs said.

"What is it?" Critten asked, turning around to look at the others around him.

Tony met his questioning gaze. "It's an overboard survival kit. If the ship were to go down, and you have time to grab your kit, it has enough rations for a couple of days, and a very basic first aid kit. A lot of sailors make one. Usually has dried fruit, sometimes people use jerky, but that isn't smart because of the salt content. Some people put those little foil blankets that fold up into nothing, and there's always water. Everything gets wrapped, rewrapped and put into a plastic bag. Our guy is planning on finding his way off the boat."

Critten cringed at the last part, thinking about their earlier discussion about the lifeboat. He turned back to the screen and kept linking pieces of the footage together so that they could watch Vasquez' travels. He snuck around the place, hiding his bag at his side when passing people, and eventually made it to the top deck.

They watched on camera as he hid behind a beam, waiting to make sure no one was around, and then ran to the railing, flinging himself onto it, and then pushing off of it in a long dive. Everyone watched in horror. It was barely dawn in the video, and the shadows it cast around the ship made it easy to miss the hiding man, and then his hasty hurdle.

Critten finally shook the shock off, and tried to locate any video he could find that might give them an angle of the man hitting the water. The only shots they could get showed instead what they didn't see, which would have been the man breaking past the ship's current and swimming away from it. No matter how many angles they checked, they couldn't find any evidence that Vasquez had resurfaced.

Parke looked at Tony. "I want to go through Vasquez's quarters one more time; make sure I didn't miss anything earlier."

"Do it." Parke nodded and left the room. Tony looked at the laptop. "Okay kid, let's pull up the terminal Vasquez was working on. I want to find out everything he did on these servers over the past six months. I heard this kind of trail is your specialty. Don't let me down. I want to know who he talked to, when he talked to them, and where these people were located when they received the messages." Critten nodded and began fidgeting at the keyboard again, typing like his life depended on it.

"Let's go check on the people in sick bay, and see if they can tell us anything." Gibbs headed for the door, Ziva and Tony on his heels.

Tony turned back to Critten for a moment. "I'll be back as soon as I have more info. Text or email me as soon as you get anything. Nothing is too small." He received a nod from the man, but no eye contact. Tony felt himself grin. He knew that the young agent was focused, despite his physical floundering. He turned and headed down the hallway, catching up with Ziva and Gibbs.

Once in sick bay, Bailey pointed them towards the back office. They headed in to find Maloney, Ducky and Tim all carefully looking at a glass vial with a wax seal around it. "Ah, Jethro! Anthony!" Ziva stuck her head into the tiny room to try to see what was going on. "And Ziva, dear. You've got quite remarkable timing. We were just examining the wax seal on the tube. It is indeed the exact one they placed around it before starting their voyage. Ensign Maloney has a picture on her cell phone of the carving they did around it. Can you see the ridge there? It's a crumb of wax that escaped to be remolded into the design. This hasn't been broken. This is the original vial."

"Then why did Vasquez do a jackknife off the side of the ship yesterday morning?" Tony asked.

"Oh my God! He did what?" Maloney turned pale and sat heavily on the stool next to the desk.

Tony winced. Probably not the smartest thing he'd ever done. He noticed that she wasn't shaking anymore, at least, and considered it a win. "He went overboard yesterday morning at dawn after receiving word from the handler not to let himself be found."

"The handler? Our handler was killed in Africa. That's why we had the backup contingency plan. We thought Velasquez was the one that killed him. He was the last one seen with him." Maloney looked confused.

"Then who were you talking to on that message board you all were using to communicate?" Tim asked.

"We were communicating with each other and someone here in the States, but they weren't the handler. When Zeke was killed, we were contacted by someone new who gave us the password and some very odd instructions. Vasquez pushed for us to follow them, but the rest of us said that we didn't trust the new guy. We played along for a while to see what was going on, and the instructions stopped making sense. When Vasquez became more and more angry about how we were acting, we changed the contingency plan, and swapped out the clues. We emptied the big crate secretly, painted the word "SAILS" on the side to get the right person's attention. It was our code word that we were in trouble. Two nights ago, we retrieved the sample, and nailed ourselves into the crate. We took the Fentanyl and have been out ever since."

"How did you plan on getting out of the box?" Tim asked.

"It's addressed to my parents' house. My dad works in the biotech department for the CIA. That's how we got roped into this mission. My parents' house has had multiple dangerous materials sent to it over the years, so they are on a watch list. Any package that is to be delivered to their house is inspected by a CIA hazmat team. I can't even send my mom flowers for her birthday."

Gibbs smiled at the woman. He had to give it to her, she had helped make the best out of a very messy situation. "One question. How did you all end up getting placed on the right ship, and bunked together?"

"The Skip was read in on the mission, thought we'd do better together than apart. Changed a couple of things around so we'd all be in the same corridor. We were all slated to be on this tour together anyway."

"If the Skipper knew, maybe he assumed, with the lifeboat missing, that the original contingency plan had been put into effect," Tony suggested.

Gibbs nodded slowly, realizing how all of this got so out of hand.

"So, there isn't a real bio-hazardous threat. Well, other than what's in that little glass tube." Tony was ready to rip his suit off.

Ducky nodded. "I do believe you're correct. There is no evidence that this has been tampered with, and no evidence of any illness on the ship other than the actual flu that the two young men started developing last night." Ducky carefully placed the vial into its case and placed the case back in the thermos, and then the thermos back into the lunchbox. The lunchbox was placed into a pharmaceutical safe on the wall, and it was locked with a swift turn of the combination knob.

"Why was this mission so secretive, Ensign? Would it have not been easier to just make it part of the itinerary?" Ziva asked the other woman.

"We knew that there was a mole somewhere on the ship. We didn't think it was Vasquez for a minute until Zeke was killed. After that, the pieces just kind of came together for us, and we knew we had to keep him close to try to find out who he was working with."

"We have an agent working on that right now." Tony looked at the people around him. "I think I'll go let him know what we know, AND TAKE THIS DAMNED SUIT OFF!"

Tim looked at Ducky. "Can we, Duck?"

"I believe it is safe, Timothy."

A rush of air escaped as each of them pulled their helmets off, jerking and ripping their suits in the process. A round of "Thank God"s and sighs of relief was heard, followed up by a bit of light laughter.

"Timothy, go tell our good sports out there that the vampirism can stop. I think it's time we had a talk with the Skipper, and got these people home." Ducky looked pointedly at Gibbs, and he came around the desk. Maloney followed the two older men out of the room, leaving Ziva and Tony standing there.

"Well, if nothing else, this has been interesting." Ziva shrugged and leaned back on the desk.

"I don't know if that would be my first choice of words, but I'll give you it's on the list somewhere." Tony leaned against the desk next to her, crossing his arms. "You and Ducky take care of your situation?" he asked quietly.

Ziva nodded and looked over at him. "Thank you, Tony. For everything."

Tony looked at her and tilted his head. "Everything?"

"Yes. Everything. It is not going to be the same without you on the team anymore. I know you will be in the same room, but you will not be out here with us anymore. That is something that I think we have all taken for granted. I know I have." Ziva gave him a sad smile.

"I may not get to come into the field with you guys anymore, but I hope you'll let me into your lives a little more to make up for it. As much as I hate to get all mushy, you guys mean the world to me, and I hope you all know that I plan on being all up in your business outside of work from now on." Tony made some hand gestures, and smiled his goofiest smile to break the seriousness in the room.

Ziva laughed. "Some things will never change with you, Tony."

"I certainly hope not. Let's go tell my Geek-Probie and Brain-Probie the good news."

"Yes. I am sure they will be thrilled to know that the virus is secure, and we can be heading home." Ziva moved behind Tony as they headed out of sick bay.

"Hell, I just meant they can take their suits off."

Ziva laughed and pushed Tony up the stairs. Tony felt himself smile as he took off running, enjoying hearing the echo of Ziva's laughter up the stairwell. It was that kind of moment that he wanted to have more of in their personal lives. They spent so much time in the darker, scarier, disturbing events these days, and now that they would be interacting more outside of work than in, he hoped to replace the horrible with the wonderful. They deserved it.


	20. Chapter 20

Another two hours of digging had provided them with a bit of clarity into Vasquez's swan dive. He had been roped into the scheme with promises of enough money to pay off a debt to a drug lord he'd lost a shipment for. The cash he would have earned doing this dirty deed would be used to pay for his last, and would've spare him his life.

They also found out that the original contingency plan had included the Skipper. If the group needed to abandon ship, the Skipper was to be notified, he'd find a reason to slow the ship so that they could escape, and the vial was to be left in his care if possible. The team took turns changing the location of the vial, and he was always kept in the loop about where the vial was in order to retrieve it if need be.

When Vasquez couldn't find the rest of the group or the vial, it seems he dropped a lifeboat overboard in order to get the Skipper to believe they had activated the plan without him. The Skip took the bait, and Vasquez had secretly followed him to the Ebola's last known location, but the Skipper couldn't find it either. The Skipper then called in reinforcements, not telling anyone how much he knew in order to keep conclusions unbiased, and Velasquez disappeared until they found him on video entering the com room.

At first they doubted the Skipper's involvement, but the genuine relief he had shown at seeing Ensign Maloney finally enter the room, and the hug they shared, had changed their minds. They found out that CIA Maloney was the man's best friend, and Ensign Maloney was his goddaughter. The trust level they had was one of the main reasons the Ensign had the lead on the op despite her subordinate status to the Lieutenants.

Soon after all of the pieces were put together, the announcement was made that the ship was clear to dock. Cheers and applause could be heard throughout the entire vessel as folks rushed around one another to find their way to their quarters.

The NCIS teams assembled in their room, checking in with Abby, Palmer and Vance. Palmer had called in Ducky's friend to assist him with the Balboa autopsy, but Abby let them know that he had taken the lead and done wonderfully. Ducky wasn't hesitant to show his pride in his assistant, and Palmer blushed. Abby was done running evidence on the case and would be waiting for Tim- er them- on shore when they docked. Vance notified them that the CIA would be taking over the tech trail to locate the people Vasquez had been working with, and he was glad that they were coming back so soon. Tensions were high on the shore as many people had gone home for provisions, and returned to the dock to sit and wait for their loved ones, determined to stay, no matter how long it took. Vance was sympathetic, but it had become a security nightmare.

Both teams were exhausted. They packed up their things and headed up to the deck, hazmat suits over their arms. It wasn't long before the ship started moving again, and the deck crowded with crew members eager to catch a glimpse of their family and friends on the shore.

Tony leaned on the rail, absorbing the scene. He thought about his voyage home from being Agent Afloat. He had flown back, and didn't realize it would be permanent. He looked at his lover, taking in his posture and the way he watched the scene unfold. Tony knew that Jethro had been here at least once, coming home to Shannon and Kelly. One look at the gentle smile he had on his face could tell anyone on their team that. Tony knew that if this had happened a year earlier, that smile would be a scowl that would haunt them all week as the older man kicked their asses around the office. Something had been different about him ever since the Maddie incident. Tony tried not to think about it. He was content to just enjoy it- for now.

His focus changed to McGee, who he caught out of the corner of his eye. The younger man was leaning forward against the railing, staring towards the docks wistfully. Tony knew that Tim had been on the dock multiple times himself, waiting for his dad as a kid. Now, Abby was there waiting for him. Tony knew it wasn't the same; they had only been gone for a little over a day. The case hadn't been safe though, and if anyone knew the depths of that, it was his team.

Tony felt movement behind him, and turned to find Parke against the rail. "Hey," Tony greeted, exhaustion obvious in his voice.

"Hey." Parke looked from Tony to the other members of the MCRT. Tony followed his gaze and then found Parke's eyes back on him. "This wasn't your idea, was it?" Parke's voice was clear, but held no accusation.

Tony gave his probie a smile. He decided a brave question was worth an honest answer. "No, it wasn't."

"You're really close with them, especially Gibbs. You obviously care a lot about them."

Tony nodded. "More than you know." Parke gave him a shrug of a nod. "You have the same thing with Elijah," Tony continued. "A bond. Protective, honest trust."

Parke looked up in surprise. "Looks like I'm going to have to learn not to underestimate you." Parke's warm brown eyes turned out towards the water, conveying a heaviness that hadn't been there a moment ago.

"Care to share?" Tony asked, turning towards the rail, but keeping his head turned towards his junior agent.

"Not really," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"Okay. If you ever change your mind, let me know. Just trying to understand you, not fill your file." Tony gave him a pointed look to say he meant it.

Parke searched his face. "Maybe one day. I'll tell you this though, Elly is in this to find what you have with Gibbs' team. Treat him right." Parke's last thought was a demand, not a suggestion. It made Tony smile even larger, and his hand reached up to squeeze Parke's shoulder.

"I'll take care of him. If you don't think I am, I'm sure you'll let me know." Tony chuckled.

Parke smiled back, returning the chuckle. "You know it!" The younger man turned and left Tony standing at the rail.

Gibbs came over and leaned against the rail, standing close enough so Tony could hear, but looking towards the shore. "Looks like you found your Second."

Tony froze. He realized that Gibbs was probably right. Parke hadn't been afraid to call him out, and he showed fierce loyalty. He was observant, and had proved he was able to anticipate. Tony had a feeling Parke would accept his guidance with an open mind while keeping him on his toes.

"I think so. We'll see. Can't wait to get off this boat and wrap this up so we can go home."

"You and me both." Jethro's eyes scanned Tony's body.

"You're incredible, you know that?" Tony said with a laugh as he felt his cheeks grow warm despite the chill March wind whipping up off the water. "We're stuck on a ship for over twenty-four hours, working a screwed up case, _in hazmat suits, with no sleep,_ and you're still…" Tony let the words fall on his lips, worried they would be carried by the wind. He groaned instead, and rested his head on his arms as they hung over the rail.

"What? Can't keep up?" Jethro's cocky challenge made Tony's head jerk up with a smirk.

"Watch me."

Jethro nodded his approval. He'd always loved when Tony accepted his challenges, and this one was probably his favorite thus far.

"Speaking of watching, Parke is definitely watching us, so be careful." Tony turned serious and stood up straighter, realizing they were too close and too casual the way they were.

Jethro nodded and sighed as he stood straighter as well. "Figure the team will have today off. I plan on staying in bed all day, so they should, too."

"Oh, really?" Tony asked, grateful it was so cold out, because all of the thoughts that ran through his head would have had him harder than nails if he wasn't five seconds from freezing his nuts off.

"Ohhh yeah." Jethro gave Tony a look that made him swallow hard, and then walked away.

Tony took a deep breath, schooling himself, and then bent to pick up his things. He went to locate Parke and Critten, and found them talking together against the rail towards the end of the deck, looking out at the bay instead of the shore. They seemed as close as brothers, arms against one another, chatting quietly. They looked up as Tony approached, both giving him a tired smile.

"You ready to go Probies?" Tony tried to read the look they shared, but he could only tell that there was an inside joke in there somewhere. "We'll be docking in a few."

They picked up their stuff and headed towards the gangplank.

"Now, Probies," he said, mischief coloring his voice. "If we get separated, I'll be the one driving away in the big white ambulance looking thing. So, try to keep up."

"Har, har," Critten said, mocking Tony's joke.

Tony turned and gave Critten his most serious face. "Keep up." He turned around to join the fray in front of him, working hard to keep his smile to himself.

Critten's eyebrows raised at Tony's back, and Parke's eyes flickered back and forth between them. He knew what was coming- a lesson. What type, he wasn't sure of yet.

They were soon on their way down the plank and into the throes of people running up to one another and embracing. Tony slipped into the crowd, intentionally losing his team. When Parke realized he couldn't see Tony anymore, he looked at Critten. They both froze for a moment before bursting into a dodging run. They turned this way and that, jumping over people's duffle bags and remnants of make-shift campsites. They were at the crime scene truck in a matter of minutes. They arrived to find that Tony wasn't there yet, and looked around baffled.

A little later, Tony had caught up with Gibbs, and they were walking slowly towards the trucks. Tony saw the two men and shook his head.

"What's with them?" Gibbs asked, eyeing Tony.

"Just a tiny exercise in trust. Guess I don't pass the test yet." Tony looked at Gibbs and shrugged. "See you soon." Tony waved at Abby and Tim as they walked hand in hand towards the other truck. Ducky was already in the sedan, waiting on Gibbs to drive them back, and Tony watched Ziva getting into the driver's side of the other truck.

Tony met up with Park and Critten at the back of the truck to put his stuff away. "Do you two actually think that I would have left you? Really?"

Parke looked over at Critten who looked very confused, and he knew that he probably looked a little like that himself.

"There are rules that I've been taught to live by, and I will teach them to you. They're kind of like the NCIS secret code. They're rules that have been passed down, each generation adding more. Franks gave them to Gibbs, Gibbs gave them to the MCRT, and now I'll share them with you. The very top of the heap, the number one rule- 'DON'T SCREW OVER YOUR PARTNER.'" Tony looked back and forth between both of the men in front of them. "I will NEVER leave you behind. While Kathy is gone, you are mine, and I take care of my own."

Tony noticed how hard Critten swallowed, and stared him in the eye, reaffirming what he had just said. There was a story there, he had no doubts, and one day he would find out what it was. He looked to Parke to find him staring at him intently. The younger agent gave him a nod. Tony nodded back and turned to put the last bit of his stuff in the truck. He felt his mind spinning faster and faster as he tried to figure out what Critten's story was. He closed the back door and climbed into the driver's seat. Driving always helped clear his head.

Parke slid in next to him, and Critten followed. They were all feeling the adrenaline escaping their bodies, leaving that extra special flavor of exhaustion in its wake. Critten fell asleep against the window almost immediately. The drive back wasn't far, but the traffic funneling out of the park was thick as families were trying to leave.

Tony kept his voice quiet as he spoke to Parke. "We're going to be off for the day, but our reports are due by noon tomorrow, so you may want to spend some time on them later, once you get some sleep." Parke nodded, and Tony didn't miss the relieved glance he shot Critten's way. The mystery was eating away at him. He barely watched Gibbs that much. He hadn't gotten that secret-lover vibe from them, thankfully, but something was definitely hinky. He'd have to talk to Gibbs. He thought for a moment about asking Kathy, then realized that neither man had barely mentioned her.

"So, what do you think of Kathy?" _Direct approach probably goes further with Parke,_ he thought.

Parke's face hardened for a moment before he checked himself. "She's dedicated to the agency, driven, focused."

Tony heard the tension in Parke's voice. "Too focused?" he asked, especially quiet.

Parke's eyes met his. "Yeah."

Tony really didn't like the cold edge to Parke's voice. He knew that there was more than could be said at the moment to that one word answer. Tony stole a look at Critten, then back at Parke. He saw the man's eyes flash, and gave him the tiniest nod. Something was really wrong, and he had to figure it out.

They pulled into the garage, and Parke shook Critten awake. "We're back. Time to get up, punk." Tony watched in amusement as Parke leaned over to unlock the door when Critten couldn't manage it in his sleepy haze.

"Get your asses home in one piece," Tony called as he headed towards the back of the truck. They stretched and murmured their goodbyes.

Tim, Abby and Ziva began unloading the second truck and Gibbs and Ducky came to join him at the back of his. "Your geek looks like he's going to run up a pole on the way home," Gibbs said under his breath.

Tony shook his head. "Watch this." Tony peered around the side of the truck; Ducky and Gibbs followed his lead. Critten was leaning against the wall by the elevator, looking dead to the world, eyes closed, but his mouth moved as he argued with Parke. They could barely hear, but it was obvious what the discussion was about. Parke was insisting on driving Critten home. Critten finally caved, and Parke shoved him into the elevator. Tony smirked and headed back to getting things out of the truck.

"What's that about?" Gibbs asked. Ducky watched Tony, waiting for an answer.

"I have no idea. I've been trying to figure it out all day. All I've gotten so far is that they are really close. Parke is extremely protective of Critten, who is apparently desperate to find a home here, and Parke has an edge about him when it comes to Kathy. I brought her up, and the man turned cold. Got the feeling it has something to do with Critten, and why he's so protective of him. I'm going to have to do some digging." Tony looked to Ducky. "Have you ever seen her interact with these guys? Do you know what she's like with them?"

"Not for more than a few minutes at a time. She doesn't seem very close to them, but that is to be expected. She's only been a lead for two years, and she didn't start off with either of them on her team. I'm afraid, for your sake, that my contact with her has been limited."

Tony noticed a weird look on Jethro's face. "What?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to hear what had him looking so odd.

"You don't think they're…" Tony saw the faint blush starting to creep up Jethro's throat and couldn't help but think about how cute that was.

"In the same situation as us?" Tony asked, receiving a nod. "No. Parke seems really into his wife based on the discussion we had on the way to the dock yesterday, and I really haven't gotten that vibe from them. More, "big brother, little brother". It's weird. Critten seems like he's got a great head on his shoulders. He's eager to learn, has some great skills at the keyboard, but when he and Critten are together, he seems to defer to him for everything. They're as close as Tim and I, and these days, that's saying something. Not to mention that took, what, eight years to build? These guys have only been on the same team two months. Nuh-uh." Tony shook his head. "Something happened, and I need to find out what."

Jethro bit down a response, and instead just nodded. He needed to let Tony make his own way, and he trusted him to do it. He usually didn't give Tony advice. He was used to letting him figure out the answers on his own, being present during his mindless ramblings in the basement, grunting, glancing, nodding when he thought those ramblings were starting to go down the right path.

Leading a team was the one thing that he knew how to do better than anyone else in Tony's life. He wasn't good at giving advice on relationships, father issues, and that kind of thing. He _was_ good at building a subordinate's trust, treating them in a way that would build their confidence while still respecting him, and running an investigation in a way that encouraged free thinking enough to find the answers needed, while still demanding the very best out of every agent. He made a promise to himself at that moment to only give advice when it was asked for. He didn't want to give Tony any reason to think he doubted him.

Tony and Ducky packed up the gear in the back of the truck to take it inside. Gibbs watched Tony's face, knowing that the wheels were turning, and he took in the way his jaw was slightly set, and his eyes were squinting just a little. He looked older, but not in a bad way. In fact, it suited him exceptionally well. Jethro's eyes took in the rest of his lover, knowing that, for the moment, he was safe to ogle him. Tony caught his eyes and flashed him a smile that could only been described as boyish. It made Jethro smile as well. Tony's cheeks were turning pink under his lover's gaze.

Ducky turned around to get out of the truck, and stopped for a moment as he saw the exchange. He cleared his throat, stepped out of the truck and turned around, planting a well-placed slap on the back of Jethro's head.

Tony's jaw dropped and the laughter bubbled out of his chest before he could stop it. Jethro's hand came to the back of his head, and he swirled to turn a cold glare on the doctor. "What the hell, Duck?!"

"If you do not want to be caught, you will keep your eyes in their sockets, Jethro."

"He's not my subordinate anymore, Duck!" He turned to look up at Tony, his voice changing from snippy to flirty. "If I want to stare, I will."

Tony ran his hand over the back of his head and got out of the truck, stepping down so that he stood just inches from Jethro. "I'm still officially at my desk for two more weeks, and even then, we're going to need to be careful. We don't know what will happen when Kathy comes back." He reached up to fix the corner of Jethro's collar that had flipped up, letting his hand rest a little longer near his throat than necessary, staring back into Jethro's baby blues with eyes as seductive as Jethro's words.

Ducky cleared his throat again when he realized the moment wouldn't be broken any other way. They both looked at him a little irked this time, but seeing the rest of the team approaching, they stepped apart.

"Have I told you guys just how _hot_ you are together yet?" Abby said. "I mean-" Tim reached up and put a finger over Abby's lips, suddenly blushing furiously.

"Time and place, Abs. This isn't it." The look that Abby gave Tim made everyone else laugh.

"We're done with the truck, Boss. Anything else you need?" Tim asked.

"No, McGee. Good work tonight, people. Get some sleep. Be here early tomorrow so we can get this written up." Gibbs nodded for them to head out. Ducky squeezed Jethro's shoulder as he walked past him, leaving him and Tony standing there alone.

As soon as they heard the elevator doors close, Jethro sat down on the back of the truck. "You handled today really well."

Tony shrugged slowly and sat next to him. "Didn't really have much of a choice. Don't have much of a choice at all, with any of this."

"It's natural for you, Tony. There's no reason not to enjoy it. You deserve it."

When Tony looked up, he found Jethro's eyes looking back at his with his shields down, and an honesty was in them that caught him off guard. There was pride, worry, and a touch of sadness, as well. Tony reached out to take his hand, needing the support to find the nerve to say what he needed to.

"I hate the idea of going through something like today without you guys there. I hate the idea of going through any case without you with me. Working with Parke and Critten today, though… they need me Jethro. Something is seriously wrong with the dynamic they have with Kathy. I don't know what it is, but the fact that Parke warmed up to me so quickly, and the way he's so protective over Critten… he calls him Elly. The way he changed on a dime when I brought up Kathy… Something is going on here, and I think I'm _supposed_ to be doing this. It just feels too right." Tony looked up at Jethro, knowing that he was being more silent than usual, and suddenly felt nervous, unure of what was going through the other man's head.

Jethro was gathering his thoughts, trying to figure out what to say. He didn't want to make Tony feel unwanted, but he needed to stress what he saw today, and how, despite his preferences, Tony belonged in charge of his own team.

"You are supposed to be right where you are. It feels that way because you are meant to lead, Tony. If you can pick up on the issues going on there, by spending one day in charge of them, when none of their team evals have picked up on it yet, that should tell you something. You're smart, observant, compassionate and a natural leader. People trust you because they can. Things are changing, and… I know neither of us like change much, but… you're meant to be in charge. You handled today perfectly. I'm proud of you."

Tony looked up at him skeptically. "I guess we'll see."

Jethro's voice raised in frustration. "I _did_ see, you dolt! I saw it in everything you did today! You're _not_ coming back to my team." Tony looked confused and startled. "You don't belong there, Tony! You're supposed to be doing something more, and I've held you back. I've wanted to keep you all to myself, but… I've broken rule five."

"There was _nothing_ wasted about being on your team, Jethro. Not a _damn_ thing." Tony said adamantly.

"Like hell!"

"Listen to me Jethro," Tony commanded in a tone he'd only get away with as a lover. "There has not been a day, not a _single_ day, when I worked with this team that has been wasted. I'm constantly learning. I've been supported by the most important people in my life, found a home, a family and my best friend. That is _not_ wasted. Things happen when they are supposed to, how they're supposed to. If I would have left when I was trained enough, I wouldn't be holding the hand of the man I love right now. I wouldn't have been nearly as prepared as I am now. I've learned from the best, and there's always more to learn. Let this year play out, and then we'll figure out what I'm supposed to be doing."

Jethro squeezed his hand. He knew what Tony was saying. The events that led them to this point had been twisted, and they had no idea what would happen over the next year. He'd have to be patient. He hated it, but he could do it when it was important. "I'll wait, Tony, but _that_ is exactly what I'm talking about." Jethro squeezed Tony's hand and stood up, grabbing the stuff stacked on the back of the truck to take to the cabinets they would need to be placed in.

Tony stood up slowly, taking his pack and heading for the elevator. He wanted to get ahold of the case files from the past two months for Kathy's team to look over after they got some sleep. He made his way into the bullpen, dropping down into his desk chair and plopping his bag in its usual spot.

He thought about his team. They had done pretty well for their first possible biohazardous experience. He hoped it was their last, but he knew that was unlikely. He had worked with two possible biohazard attacks in one week, and had contracted a disease he only knew about from ancient history books during his third year with the agency. The threat of a bio-attack was getting to be more and more likely, and more and more deadly as time went on. His team would probably see more possible bioterrorist attacks than bombings in their careers.

He leaned forward and rubbed his temples. _My team,_ he thought to himself. _How in the hell did that happen?_

He thought over the past two weeks. He had finally gotten the man he was in love with, threatened the life of a Marine he wasn't on a case with, worked on a critical op with Gibbs treating him as an equal, been openly praised by and practically befriended by the director, been outed to his team and then put in charge of a new one. To top it all off, he was about to move in with Gibbs, and leave the team he had been on for ten years.

It was a lot to handle, and he just wanted to stop handling it, and sleep happily in Gibbs' arms, in their bed, and stay there well past a healthy eight hours.

A deep sigh let him know that Gibbs was standing near him. He could smell the comforting scent of sawdust, coffee, and tonight, a touch of plastic from being trapped in that damned suit for almost twenty four hours. He looked up, trying to smile, but he was too exhausted to make his mouth work.

"You going to be ready to go soon?" Gibbs asked, looking at Tony without concealing his worry.

"Soon. I want to get Kathy's case files since Parke joined the team." Tony reached down and turned on his computer.

"Come get coffee with me first?" It was a question, and the slightly hopeful look on Jethro's face made Tony smile despite the exhaustion.

"Sure." He locked down the computer as soon as it boot up, and slowly got to his feet, stretching. Gibbs stood there, staring at him shamelessly. It was 0630, and there wasn't a soul in the place yet other than them.

Heading to the elevator together, they stood exhausted and quiet. The doors opened, and Kathy stepped out, surprising all of them. "You guys are back?" she asked.

"Yeah. Long story," Tony said with a nod.

"Good! Then I can have my guys back today." Her voice was cheerful, but Tony saw the plasticity in her smile. He wondered if it had always been there, or if he had simply never noticed. Either way, Tony's defenses rose like a cat's hackles.

"No, you can't. They're home today, recovering. They'll be in tomorrow to write up their reports, _then_ you can have them back." Tony's voice held a little more chill than he meant for it to, but he couldn't believe Kathy wouldn't think of their well-being. Kathy looked clearly affronted. _If the woman had any sense at all, she wouldn't be looking at me like that right now,_ Tony thought, his patience being tested. He plastered on _his_ fake smile, determined to play nice, but to his advantage. "Do me a favor, will ya? Can you get me copies of all of the team's case reports for saaaaayyy… I dunno? Three months? Maybe some from further back that you think highlights Critten's abilities? I want to get to know a bit of their history since I'm going to be team lead in a couple of weeks."

Jethro was holding open the elevator doors, watching the scene unfold. One look at Kathy's face let them know that there was something she had to be nervous about, and one look on Tony's face told Jethro that the woman had managed to piss him off in that dangerous way that makes him pull out the Long Island charm- friendly and charismatic on the surface, cunning and vicious underneath. Jethro saw it as it was- protective. He wanted to squirm. He fought it back, but it was hard. Tony's tone set his hair on end, and something about him asserting the new position made Jethro tingle. Tony was accepting the power of the position, and Jethro had to look at Kathy to keep his eyes from wandering down Tony's frame.

"I should be able to do that. No, problem." Kathy said, forcing the words out from between that plastic smile.

"Thanks," Tony said, letting his charm seep through. "I have to meet with the Director before I leave, so I'll pick them up from you, in say, an hour?"

Jethro saw the panic flicker for a brief moment in Kathy's eyes. It was an interesting game that Tony played, and he was a happy spectator. He'd watched for years as Tony pushed the right buttons on the right people to get the information he wanted. Kathy didn't want to look uncooperative, but she also hated the idea of turning over the power she had over her team, especially to a man.

He'd heard about her need to prove herself through the grapevine. She was ambitious, driven, forceful when needed, and she had some interesting tactics. The stories were always about her, though, not her team, and Jethro had to wonder whether or not she played well with others after hearing Tony talk about Parke and Critten.

Jethro knew that _he_ didn't- hell, _everyone_ knew that he didn't, but his team was his family, and he made sure that they knew it. He had a feeling that she didn't. It made the way that Tony handled her all the more impressive, and something about a professionally impressive Tony turned him on.

Tony backed into the elevator, and Jethro let the doors shut. Ten seconds later, Jethro lost the battle with himself. He flipped the switch and pressed Tony against the wall, his hands in his lover's hair and his lips taking Tony's with an incredible sexual hunger. Tony reacted immediately, his body thrumming with adrenaline after the mind-boggling assignment and his encounter with Simmons. Jethro gave him an outlet, some place productive he could put all of that energy, so he kissed him back with every bit of passion given and then some.

Jethro had tried to control himself for so long, but Tony was his weakness. Flipping that switch had suddenly become the only way to lock out the rest of the world and connect with the man he had felt so far from all day. He wondered briefly, as Tony gave himself up, if the younger man would ever resist him, but as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he felt his shirt being pulled from his slacks, and he forgot about it.

Jethro groaned into the kiss, trying desperately to find the will to put a stop to Tony's roaming hands. He managed to find breath to speak, but his words came out half-heartedly as he continued tonguing his lover between them. "Tony… we can't…"

Tony pulled out of the kiss for a mere moment. "Shut up," he commanded, voice low and husky from lips that already leaned forward to recapture Jethro's mouth.

Tony knew this was going to have to be quick. He needed it that way, and people were going to start wondering about the elevator not working in a few minutes. He pulled on the edges of Jethro's shirt, running his hands up his stomach, feeling the muscles dance under his touch. His fingers ran through Jethro's chest hair until he found the hardening nipples waiting for him. He pinched them, and Jethro gasped into his mouth.

The older man tried to fight the fire running down his spine and to his cock. He had had this fantasy before, but he never believed that he would ever let go enough to see if fulfilled. He reached for Tony's belt, yearning to touch him, yearning to come unraveled with him. He knew that time was of the essence, and the adrenaline of the risk involved heightened every sense. He felt every inch of his skin that contacted Tony's, and the taste of their kiss was delicious.

Suddenly, Tony's hand was in Jethro's pants and firmly around his cock. His other hand was reaching into Jethro's pocket for his handkerchief. Jethro groaned into the kiss, and his own hand found Tony's dick. Tony reached down and took both of them in one hand, stroking them with the perfect pressure. Jethro relinquished his control, instead, leaning against the wall, a hand on either side of Tony's head as they continued kissing through it all.

The strokes were hard and fast from the beginning, urging a quick and explosive release. They were both aching for it, gasping into one another's mouth each time Tony let his fingers graze their heads.

"Oh, _fuck_ , Tony!" The words weren't much but a breathy gasp, and they put Tony immediately on edge. He increased his pace, adding a slight twist that elicited a low keening sound from his own throat. A couple of strokes later and Jethro froze mid-kiss, his warmth being soaked up by the hanky Tony had waiting. A couple of strokes more, and Tony was tumbling over the edge with him, the orgasm tearing through his body, making him jerk against the wall.

The two men stood still, breathing heavily for a moment before their lips found one another again. The kisses were gentle and affirming this time. "God, I needed that," Tony whispered.

"I needed you," Jethro whispered back, blue eyes focusing on green. "Still do." He leaned in and kissed Tony again gently. "Always will."

They only waited until their legs could support them before tucking in their shirts and buckling their belts. They straightened out their clothes, and as Tony flipped the elevator switch, Jethro reached up and smoothed out his lover's hair the best he could.

The elevator doors opened, and they brushed past the few people waiting there as if though nothing had happened. They headed straight for the exit and out into the plaza. Tony took the soggy hanky from his pocket, and tossed it in a trash can as discreetly as possible. Jethro snickered under his breath.

"Do you really have to see Vance, or was that just something you told Simmons to add effect?" Gibbs was heading straight for the coffee counter, rubbing his hands together in the morning chill.

"Yeah. He caught me before I found you on the dock, and said to come see him before I left. Not really sure what his deal is lately." Tony ordered his coffee as the barista handed Gibbs his usual extra bold. Once she was busy, Gibbs responded to Tony's thought quietly.

"I think he's learning where his own loyalties lie. People aren't who he thought they were. You expect to find that out when playing the political game. There's backstabbing every step of the way, but Leon… Leon's finding _allies_ where he didn't expect to. It has him thrown."

Tony slipped his debit card back in his wallet and his wallet in his pocket. He nodded and stared out into space for a moment. "I guess I can understand that. Not quite sure I'm prepared to handle it, but I'm glad he's reaching out." They started walking towards the building again, anxious to get back into the warmth. The snow was beginning to fall softly around them and coat the ground. Tony cringed for a moment at the idea of Gibbs driving on the slick streets at his typical neck-breaking speeds. "He called us family the other day in the lab. I hadn't really thought of him when I thought of our little family, but he's kind of worming his way in you know?"

"Yeah. I know." They walked into the building and found themselves in the staircase instead of the elevator, neither realizing they had both made the same decision, at the same time, to avoid the temptation of privacy. "Go meet with him, get your files, and then we'll head home. We need sleep."

Tony nodded emphatically as they emerged into the bullpen. Gibbs headed to his desk and Tony headed for the stairs up to Vance's office, coffee still in hand. Gibbs tried to discreetly watch him, but realized that wasn't possible.

He sighed heavily and turned on his computer to check his email. Most everything was random crap that he didn't need to know and didn't give a damn about, but one email marked as important caught his attention from HR. It was the yearly reminder to have his team update their files. There was a form attached for any address, phone number, next of kin, power of attorney and beneficiary changes that needed to be made. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, then locked down his computer before getting up and heading upstairs. _Might as well ask with Tony there- make sure we really are on the same page._

Tony had headed into Vance's office on auto-pilot to find the man just putting his stuff down at his desk, covering a yawn. Tony bit his tongue to keep from mimicking the action. "You wanted to see me Director?"

"DiNozzo. Yeah, come on in. Have a seat." Vance's voice was just as tired as Tony's was. It didn't sound like Tony should be apprehensive, so he sat and waited. "Just wanted to check in. I know that this was kind of sprung on you, but it seems you came through it alright. You like your men?"

Tony struggled to hold back the inappropriate joke on his lips. He cleared his throat. "Parke and Critten are great together. Each of them have strong backgrounds in their areas, and it shows. I'm lucky to have them." He watched as Vance's brows rose a bit at Tony's assessment. "Can I ask you something, sir?"

Vance nodded, his face displaying genuine curiosity.

"What is Agent Simmons like with her team?" No one had been able to give him a direct answer. It was tiptoed around by Parke, and no one else honestly seemed to really know.

Vance thought for a long moment. "I rarely see them all together. Their cases aren't generally high enough profile to warrant me getting involved too heavily. I get updates from Simmons, but other than that, I don't spend much time with them as a whole. Why do you ask?"

"Because nobody has an answer for me. Parke has incredible observation skills, Critten is almost as good as McGee was when he started with us, both are incredibly dedicated to their work, and intensely loyal to one another after only a short time. Working with them is going to be a dream. If I were in Simmons' shoes, I'd be announcing my good fortune all over NCIS." Tony shook his head a little in confusion.

"Well, congratulations DiNozzo, because you _are_ in Simmons' shoes. You'll finish out this week with Gibbs' team, and next week you'll be shadowing Simmons to see what that team's modus operandi is. The week after, it's all yours." Vance smiled at Tony and plucked a toothpick out of its plastic wrapper.

Tony nodded in a thoughtful daze, then stood up to leave when the door opened. "Leon, we gotta talk."

"Come right in, Gibbs. Nothing's stopping you, like say, knocking, manners, respect."

Tony smiled at his lover and saw it returned. When Gibbs sat down in one of the armchairs in front of the desk, Tony sat too, his smile changing to concern.

"Why am I getting the feeling I'm not going to like this, Gibbs?" Vance asked, leaning forward on the desk, running his hands over the top of his head before letting them fall to his desk in frustration.

"It's nothing major, just not something I feel like dealing with right now, Leon. Don't really have much choice, so I figured I'd come ask how you want us to handle it." Gibbs turned to Tony to watch his expression as he continued. "Got the yearly mandate from HR to update our personals."

Tony nodded slowly, understanding the conundrum they found themselves in. He looked from Gibbs to Vance, wondering what their course of action was going to be.

"Well, dammit, Gibbs. You're just the bearer of all of the best news. I have no idea what to have you do. I don't want you to lie, but putting your address down for both of you is going to make things a little suspicious."

"He's been my medical proxy since I moved to D.C. Nobody has ever said anything about that, at least, that I know of. If they don't have to open his file, there won't be any reason to connect the dots. Now would probably be the _best_ time to do the update, when they are getting everyone's update requests and are too busy to take the time to notice," Tony reasoned.

"There's a spot on the forms to put down if you're single, married or in a partnership, divorced or separated. Would you _like_ that section to be updated?"

Tony shrugged. "Eventually, but for now, with the nature of things, it's better not to, and I'm okay with that if Jethro is." Tony turned to Gibbs.

"I agree." Gibbs looked at Tony, glad he wasn't taking this as heavily as he was afraid he would.

"Alrighty then! Crisis subdued. Now, if you gentlemen don't mind," Tony said, getting to his feet. "I am going to go get some files from Simmons, and head home to hibernate for twelve straight hours." Gibbs snickered and Tony turned towards him, holding up a finger. "Not a single word. This is _not_ a negotiation. Going to make some cocoa with those little marshmallows, and then cocoon myself in warm blankets, and sleep like a bear until tonight, or hell, maybe even tomorrow morning. I don't care if the house falls down around me. I _am_ going to sleep."

"Will you two get out of my office before you start talking about your sleeping habits?" Leon joked, a smile on his face that took both of them men just a little off guard.

"Maybe," Tony said. "You coming?" Tony asked Gibbs.

"In a minute," he responded, his eyes telling Tony that everything was fine.

Tony read the expression and nodded, heading towards the door.

Once the door closed, Gibbs looked forward to find curious eyes on him.

"What's on your mind Gibbs?" Vance asked, eager to go home and try Tony's cure for exhaustion.

"DiNozzo."

Vance's eyebrows shot up. "I find myself compelled to ask if that's an appropriate answer, Gibbs."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Not talking about personally, Leon. He was really great with his new team. They took to him like nothing I've seen since… well since _Tony_ joined the agency."

"He just told me that they impressed him. Was wondering what Simmons was like with them. I told him I didn't know." Gibbs looked at Vance as if though there was more to that statement. "It's the truth. I had to wonder, if he thinks so highly of them, why I haven't heard anything from her. Critten's six month eval was last month, and Parke just had his thirty day around the same time. Nothing really shining was reported about either of them. What's your take?"

Gibbs thought for a moment about how to say what he needed to without giving away what Tony had told him and Ducky in confidence. "I think that there was something missing from the team's dynamic that Tony brings them. They want to do well for him, want to give him a reason to trust them, be proud of them. I have a feeling that something stood in the way of that with Simmons."

"And you know what that is." Vance stated.

"Not exactly."

"But you have a pretty good idea." Vance prodded.

"I can say this much- I may be a bastard, but I _know_ my team. I care about them, I'm proud of them, and they know it. They will always be my priority, inside and outside of work. Including Abby, Ducky and even the Gremlin. Just ran into Simmons getting off of the elevator, and she didn't even ask how her men were. Thought they'd be in today. Tony… " Gibbs shook his head thinking about the scene that had unfolded downstairs. "He told her off, in the typical DiNozzo way. He's shown more dedication to those two in the past thirty-six hours than she's given them since they've joined the team." Gibbs shook his head and stared past the man in front of him to watch the snow falling heavily outside of the window behind him.

"Let me ask you something, Gibbs. Do you foresee this becoming a problem when Simmons comes back next year to reclaim the team?"

Gibbs got to his feet. "Leon, I see it being a problem tomorrow afternoon when she gets those two back at their desks."

"You really do bring me the worst kind of news, Gibbs."

"No. I'm bringing you the best kind. DiNozzo is the best thing that could possibly happen to those two. He'll help them become great agents. It's up to you whether or not to let that keep happening in a year. Don't take my word for it. Watch how things unfold. You'll see." Gibbs headed for the door.

"This is a completely different take than what we saw out of you the other day. What changed your mind?" Vance asked suspiciously.

Gibbs stopped for a moment. "Watch DiNozzo with them in the morning, Leon. You'll see."

Vance nodded once. Gibbs nodded in return and turned to leave the room. "Time to hibernate," he called over his shoulder as he left, barely hearing the man behind the desk groan at him.

Meanwhile, Tony headed down the stairs and past his desk to the other side of the bullpen, drinking heavily from his coffee. He strode into the piece of the bullpen that belonged to his new team, and greeted Simmons. "Heya Kathy." He pulled up one of the rolling chairs that were still in the middle of the quad of desks from their campfire the day before.

"Starting the chair races early, there DiNozzo?" she quipped. Tony kept his smile, but heard the condescending tone in her voice. When she flashed her fake smile at him, he couldn't help but put in a dig.

"Nope. Team meeting before we left. Getting to know my new agents. You know, sat together, talked for a minute. They're great guys. Going to love working _with_ them." Tony's smile was his usual perky mask, but his eyes were as cold as ice when Simmons looked into them. "So, tell me about them. What's your take on Parke?"

Simmons sighed and added another folder to her stack. "They both have a lot to learn. Parke is great at getting into people's heads, but he lacks strategically. Critten is great behind a computer, but he has no idea what he's doing in the field." She turned back to another folder on her desk and ran through it before stacking it on the others.

"Hm." Tony said, watching the woman's stern expression as she read through something in the folder. "What learning techniques do they respond best to?"

Simmons added the folder she was looking through to the stack, and then started going through the last one in front of her. "Experience is the best teacher. I'm sure you know that, working with Gibbs. Can't imagine the man ever actually uses his _words_ to get a point across."

Tony felt his defenses raise on various levels. "Gibbs doesn't need too many words. He just makes sure the right ones are pointed in the right direction."

" _My_ point is, DiNozzo, that they don't have any direction. They were both given their shot on a team because of god knows what reasons, and with absolutely no field experience."

Tony couldn't keep up the smile anymore. "They definitely got plenty of experience with this case, and both came through for us like champs. Couldn't have done it without them. But you'll probably read all of that in their reports, eventually. Don't need to worry about that now. Or them. Or how they handled things, how they came through their first biohazard experience, whether or not they get seasick, or if they perhaps got claustrophobic in their pretty blue suits. All of that will be in my report. You can learn about your agents when I'm done with it." Tony stood up, took the stack of files from the desk, and left a stunned Simmons behind. He went to his desk, put his coat on, turned off the desk lamp, picked the files and his bag up, then stalked out of the bullpen, letting the stairwell door slam in his wake.

Gibbs had just emerged from Vance's office, and saw Tony storm out from the staircase. He ran down the steps and grabbed his stuff, flicking off his own lamp and heading down the staircase after the younger man. Halfway down the stairs, he hollered after him.

"Tony! Hey!"

Tony heard Jethro's voice as the door closed behind him to the garage. He turned around and went back through the door, feeling the anger flood out of his body. The door closed again, with him on the stairwell side this time, and Jethro came around the bend of the last flight of stairs. Tony sagged against the door.

"What the hell happened?" Gibbs asked, concern and a bit of panic in his face.

"Got the files from Simmons. I've decided I don't like her." Tony scrunched up his face at the thought. "I don't think she likes me much either, right now."

Gibbs sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "What happened?"

"Can we talk about this in the car?" Tony asked, feeling a little defeated.

Gibbs nodded. "Sure Tony. Let's go."

Tony turned around and opened the door. They headed to the car in silence. Once the doors shut them in safely and they were buckled up, Tony turned to his lover and soon to be former boss. "You know, Jethro… I never thought I'd say this, but you have spoiled the shit out of us."

Jethro laughed. "Hell, Tony! I _never_ thought I'd hear those words." Jethro's levity made Tony smile.

"It's just that she didn't give a _damn_ about them. Not one. She thinks they got here because of connections or something, and she resents them. Of course she's not going to take the time to educate them, to help them grow. The only person she cares about moving up is herself. She didn't ask a single question about the case, how they handled it, anything. And when I asked her what she thought of them, and what they responded best to, she-she-she just… acted like they weren't worth the time." Jethro rested his hand on Tony's thigh, warm and solid, trying to ground his lover while urging him to continue silently.

Tony finally started talking again, but much quieter. "Jethro, if you had been that way, not one of us would be here right now. All of our lives would be completely different. I don't want that kind of disconnection for my team. I want my team to be like _our team._ I need that, and they need that."

Jethro looked at him and saw the desperation there. "So, what do you do about it, Tony?"

Tony looked at his lover's challenging blue eyes. It was that look that had cleared his mind so many times, showing him the path to the answer he needed. "I am going to do the best damn job I can this year of proving to them, and Vance, that I deserve to be team leader. She doesn't deserve them Gibbs. She can't have them back. I won't let her."

Jethro smiled at him, and squeezed his thigh. "Let's go home." He turned over the key and backed out of the spot. _That's my Tony._


	21. Chapter 21

The snow had been falling heavier than expected on the way home, making it an agonizingly slow drive. There was already about three inches on the ground by time they pulled into the driveway. Gibbs turned the car off. He looked over at his lover to find that he hadn't moved. Tony's elbow was propped on the door, his fingertips worrying his temple.

"Come on, Tony. Let's get some sleep." Jethro's voice was soft and gentle with worry, something that Tony was still getting used to. He turned and gave Jethro a small smile.

"Sleep sounds incredible. I vote that we sleep for eight hours, wake up, jump each other, shower, eat and then sleep for another eight hours."

Jethro thought for a moment. "That leaves us with about six hours awake." Tony nodded eagerly, a grin on his face. "Sounds about right," Jethro said with a shrug, making Tony laugh.

Gibbs was glad to see Tony smile. He loved serious-professional Tony, but he equally loved goofy-playful Tony. He was balanced that way. Gibbs looked at him, taking in the way his eyes danced. For the first time, he saw both sides of Tony at once when he looked at him. He'd always looked at Tony and seen one side or the other. At that moment, he saw both at once. He wondered if he'd always been blind, or if Tony had finally merged both sides of himself. Either way, the younger man was proving to be a constant surprise. Gibbs felt like he was learning Tony all over again, and he loved it.

Tony watched his lover look him over like a puzzle, trying to decipher it. He gave it a minute to see if Jethro had a question, but when nothing was said, he decided to ask. "What are you thinking about?" He tilted his head and smiled a little, curiously.

"I'm just thinking about you, about who you've grown into, and how much you mean to me." He looked down at Tony's hand and took it, letting it ground him against the urge he had to shut down. He'd made the mistake of not telling so many people in his life how he felt about them, and because of that, he'd lost them. He wouldn't let that happen with Tony. "You- you make me wonder what else is possible. I see you, growing, changing, and I have to believe that I can change… that maybe I can become more than I am… be more for my family."

Tony looked at him in utter confusion. He had felt the changes in himself, for better or worse, but what really had him baffled was the idea that Jethro thought that there was more that _he_ could be doing.

"Jethro, you already do more for each of us than you will _ever_ know. You care more about Tim than his own Dad, saved Ziva from hers, fill the shoes for Abby… hell, even Palmer's evil father-in-law is afraid of you. You are pretty much solid ground and home base for every person on our team. It's more than any of us have ever had." The last point made Tony look down at their joined hands. He felt a little embarrassed, but knew that it had needed to be said.

"There are so many things that I should have handled differently. I need you all in my life now. I didn't want you guys to get… so close. Didn't want to _need_ you, didn't want you to fill that hole. You're a bunch of sneaky bastards though, and now I'm stuck with you." Jethro shook his head in an almost distressed way. Tony couldn't help it. He burst into laughter. He couldn't believe that Jethro had just said that so seriously.

"Jethro, you created that "sneaky bastard" side in each of us, nurtured it, really brought it…" Tony's mock-serious voice earned him a head slap, which he accepted with a bright smile. His voice dropped lower. "We should get inside. It's getting cold out here." The snow was falling heavily around the car, and though it was definitely day-time finally, the sky was fairly dark and gloomy. As they got out, Tony looked from Gibbs to the clouds and snow. "We should check the weather before bed. I have a feeling we're in for a bad one."

Gibbs nodded in agreement as he opened the front door. Tony followed him in, and closed it behind them. They shook the snow off of their coats, and hung them on the rack. Their shoes were abandoned underneath them to dry on the rug in the doorway. The two men headed to the bookcase across the room to put their weapons away. Gibbs took Tony's gun from him and unloaded the clip, placing each piece in the lockbox there.

Tony smiled and squeezed Jethro's shoulder before turning towards the TV. He stood in front of it and flicked it on, finding a channel that showed the weather.

Jethro came up behind him and wrapped his arms around him. He rested his head on Tony's shoulder as Tony held the firm arms closer to him. They watched as the weather report notified them of the incoming snowstorm, expecting to drop more than a foot on them over the next forty-eight hours.

"Well, that certainly sounds refreshing," Tony grumbled.

"Yeah- kinda does," Jethro said with a smirk. "Means we might be able to take a snow day."

Tony looked sideways at him incredulously. "Who are you, and what have you done with my partner?"

Jethro tilted his head and kissed Tony's neck, suckling in that spot that he had leaned made Tony squirm.

"OH. There he is." Tony squeaked.

Jethro chuckled. "Come on. Let's get some sleep before we get called out to a case in the middle of a blizzard."

Tony turned off the TV, and followed Jethro up the stairs, turning off lights as he went. They headed into the bedroom, and Tony turned on the lamp on the nightstand as Jethro headed into the bathroom. Tony stripped off his work clothes, and slipped into flannel PJ pants and a long sleeve tee. He stood in the middle of the room and looked around. _This is my room now. This is my home. How did that happen?_

He was happily mystified. He watched as Jethro came out of the bathroom, stopping to look at Tony, taking in his odd expression.

"Tony?" he asked quietly. Tony looked at him as though he wasn't real. "You okay?"

"Just wondering if I'm dreaming. I'm standing in your bedroom, right? With you? Getting ready to crawl into bed, again, with you?"

"Not a dream, Tony. Very real. You've been head slapped enough lately to know that this isn't a dream." He stepped up to Tony with a smile, and pulled him into his arms. Tony fell against him, resting his head on Jethro's shoulders. He felt warm and safe there with Jethro's arms around him. They stood holding one another for a long time; so long that Jethro thought Tony had fallen asleep on his feet. "Tony?" he asked again softly.

"Mmm?" he murmured.

"Let's move this to the bed."

Tony shook his head 'no' against Jethro's shoulders, making his lover chuckle.

Jethro stepped backwards a couple of steps, and Tony clung to him, moving as well. Jethro pulled back the blanket with one hand, while managing to keep a hold on the sleepy man with the other. He turned off the lamp, and pulled Tony down onto the bed with him. Tony stayed attached to him as they got under the blankets, smiling. Jethro felt just as exhausted. He couldn't believe that he was wishing for a snow day like he was six years old. He just needed a day to gather his senses. Everything felt askew, and it seemed like his whole life was slipping through his fingers. Some was good, and some was bad, but either way, it was flying by, and he couldn't catch up.

"How can you be thinking so hard? I'm too exhausted to think. I just want to stop thinking. Not have to think about anything at all, for just a few hours." Tony rambled sleepily against Jethro's chest.

"Can't help it. Haven't had a chance to think for a couple of weeks now." Jethro's hand carded through Tony's hair gently. "Everything is changing so fast."

Tony moved his head to look up at Jethro's worried expression. "Too fast?" He felt his insides clench, wondering if that meant that Jethro wasn't as ready as he thought about them moving in together.

Jethro looked down and read the concern in Tony's eyes. He smiled sadly at his lover, and his words slowly found their way out. "Not between us, Tony. Like you said the other morning, we're catching up for lost time. I mean everything at work. I'm losing you. I'm not ready for that. Everyone else is… _Everyone_ else is ready. Your team is ready for you, and you're stepping right up to the plate. McGee is falling right into place, which I _definitely_ didn't see coming, and it makes me wonder how much I've underestimated _his_ abilities… and he and Abby are now… a _thing_. Ziva has this new guy that has her head in a fog half of the time, and don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her, but it's _different_. Leon is trying to be all buddy-buddy with us, saving our asses this week- _twice_. Fornell knows about us, the team knows about us, _we_ know about us… it's a lot. Everything, my entire life, has changed in the past two weeks, and so much of it is out of my control."

Tony stared at Jethro like he was seeing a ghost. He'd not really thought about the extent of that pressure on his lover. He wasn't just "Jethro"- he was Gibbs, and Gibbs was infamous for his need for control. He took a deep breath, and bobbled his head a little as he thought. "I guess I wouldn't know how that feels. I mean, I suddenly have a team to look after. That's a lot of responsibility that I'm _really_ not used to. Self-control isn't my strong point. How in the hell am I supposed to keep a team under my control that has no reason to trust me, no reason to accept my guidance… Tim and Ziva trusted me already when I stepped in as team lead before. They had worked with me for a long time, and I knew how to work with them. But, Parke and Critten? They're my responsibility now. Keeping them safe, training them, _un-training_ them…" Tony laid his head on Jethro's chest, feeling just as lost.

His voice came out softy as he continued. He felt fragile. "I hate change, Jethro. I finally think things are stable… got my team of trusted companions, my dependable boss and best friend, a job I love, a routine with my frat brothers that I could build my calendar around, and an apartment that I can almost guarantee the heat will be out in every 13th day. Everything was feeling pretty predictable, and there's comfort in that predictability. I didn't have to worry about anything, and now all I can do is worry. Everything feels so new, and it's making it hard to enjoy the good changes, like moving in here, being with you, and the rest of the team's recent love life miracles. It's just too much."

Gibbs ran his hand slowly up and down Tony's arm. "Let's get some rest and leave the worrying behind for now. Maybe a good long snooze is just what the doctor ordered. Maybe when we wake up, everything will make sense." He kissed Tony on top of the head, and heard him sigh. He sighed himself, and was asleep a minute later.

* * *

Jethro woke up to Tony wrapped in his arms, and morning wood pressing against Tony's ass. He smiled to himself, and nuzzled Tony's shoulder. The clock read a little after 1700, and the room was already dark again. They had slept all day, and Jethro felt rested and energized in a way he hadn't for a long time. He took his slow time running his hands across the sleeping man in his arms, feeling Tony stir and push back against him for warmth. He tenderly kissed Tony's neck, barely nipping at the flesh with gentle graze, then wormed his way up under Tony's shirt. He let his fingers trail straight down Tony's chest and stomach, coming in contact with Tony's cock. The younger man was now as hard as him, and was waking under the caresses being given.

A low growl escaped Tony's throat, primal and hungry. Jethro felt the sound go straight to his cock, and he thrust against Tony's clothed ass. "I want you naked- _now,_ " Jethro ordered into Tony's ear, and Tony's hands found the waistband of his pants, pulling them off in record time. "Mmmm… I love when you follow my orders."

"I love when you give them." Tony's voice was rough with sleep and lust.

Jethro leaned in, his mouth against Tony's ear, and whispered, "You wanna play that game with me? Think long and hard before you answer." Jethro's hand found Tony's cock, and began stroking it in long, slow swipes. "I won't be upset if the answer is no."

Tony had fantasized about being at Jethro's mercy for years. He'd imagined everything from being under Gibbs' desk, blowing him in the middle of a busy work day, to kneeling naked in the basement for hours while he sanded, occasionally coming over to stroke his own hard-on in front of Tony in a strenuous tease, not letting him touch him or himself. Tony knew that Jethro's version of this "game" would be intense, and despite his better judgment, he nodded. "Just let me hit the head first, and I'm all yours, to do with as you wish."

Jethro smirked to himself. That hadn't been a typical challenge. It was honest question. He wasn't sure if Tony really knew what he was getting himself into at first, but then when he got up, looking back at Jethro with such trusting eyes, Jethro knew that Tony understood. It wasn't something that he indulged in often, mainly because he didn't have the heart to go there with someone who didn't truly trust him. It had been a long time since someone had trusted him enough to make him feel like he could take such control. He didn't usually crave it like this, but the idea of having Tony be willing to submit to him when he did set his blood on fire.

Tony stood in the bathroom, taking a leak. _He sounded so serious. What am I getting myself into?_ Tony's mind began running away from him as he brushed his teeth. He thought about every possible scenario. There were a number of things that he had never let other people do to him before, and things he had never done to other people, that he found himself surprisingly aroused by the prospect of doing with Jethro. He stared at himself in the mirror, realizing his eyes were dilating more and more as he thought. He finished brushing his teeth, dried his hands, then took a deep breath and moved back into the bedroom.

Jethro was naked, leaning against his dresser, in front of the mirror, facing the bed. He saw the look on Tony's face as he came out of the bathroom and smiled. He crooked his finger, and motioned for Tony to come to him. Tony joined him, suddenly feeling both shy and exhilarated. Once he was standing in front of him, Jethro put his arms around Tony and kissed him deeply. When he pulled back, Tony smiled at him softly.

"I want you to give me a safe word. Something you-"

"Panda."

Jethro looked at him askew. "You've used it before."

"We had to have a code word as a kid for when someone other than our parents picked us up from school. They weren't allowed to pick us up unless they had the code word. Since my dad was never the one picking me up, everyone knew my code word was 'panda'." Tony explained nervously, realizing he was revealing something a little personal, and somewhat depressing for the moment.

"You've used it since."

Tony nodded. "Only with women. It's the first word that comes to mind when I want out."

"Out?"

"Out of someone else's control."

"You've given someone that kind of control before?" Jethro knew he shouldn't ask. It would just make him jealous and angry, and that would come out on Tony in ways he didn't want it to, but he had to know.

"I've tried, but failed. I never could really turn it all over."

Jethro leaned in and kissed Tony's neck, then whispered in his ear. "But you want to give it to me?"

Tony let his head fall back. "I've wanted to give it to you for a lonnnng time." His head came back up to meet Jethro's eyes. "You're the only one I can trust enough to let go with."

Jethro's mouth descended on Tony's with greed, relishing in the words it had just spoken. He wouldn't betray that trust. He'd gladly take whatever control Tony gave him for the evening, and make sure his lover felt taken care of at the same time. "I love you." Jethro's words were echoed by the man in his arms, and he closed his eyes for a moment to soak them in. When he opened them again, Tony knew immediately that the "game" had begun.

"Lay down on the bed, facing me." Tony felt a small thrill run up his back at the "Boss" tone being used in the bedroom. He was prepared for anything, and excited by the prospect of finally letting go of all control with the delicious man staring at him as he laid back on the bed, his dick hard and at attention.

"Look at me." Jethro's voice was quiet, but demanding, and it drew Tony's attention immediately. His gaze focused on Jethro's darkening blue eyes, trying desperately to ignore the motion going on a couple of feet lower as Jethro stroked his own cock slowly.

"I want you to stroke your cock, ten times, base to tip. And I'm going to say this once, and only once- you _will_ _ **not**_ come until I give you permission. Understood?" Tony's hand was already on his cock as he opened his mouth to let a clear "Yes," ring out. He felt his chest fluttering, and began counting his strokes. He looked down at his hand on his cock, and immediately heard Jethro's commanding tone reprimand him. "Did I say to stop looking at me?"

Tony's eyes shot up to find Jethro's, instantly aware of the fact that they hadn't discussed _why_ Tony might need his safe word. His thoughts raced for a moment. _Will there be punishment if I don't follow the rules? If so, what kind of punishment would Jethro be likely to enforce?_ He forced himself to take a deep breath. He knew that his lover wouldn't take him to any place he wouldn't want to go, and the reminder of who he was with, calmed his racing pulse.

He got to the tenth stroke and stopped, holding himself by the base. He waited as patiently as he could for another order, staring into the face of his lover. The smoldering look he was receiving had him thrumming with passion. There was a tension in the room that thickened the air around them, and made Tony feel like he was pressed to the mattress.

Jethro smirked and reached down under the bed, pulling out a long, age-worn piece of rope. Tony smelled the heady scent of sawdust, and knew that the rope had been retrieved from the basement. He suddenly realized why Jethro didn't like his safe word. If he had pulled out a typical length of bondage rope, Tony would have been horribly jealous that it had been used on someone else. Why else would Jethro have it? He opened his mouth to speak, and Jethro's eyes grew full of concern. "I don't want to use "panda" as my safe word."

Jethro smiled. "Okay, what do you want to use?" He felt an odd relief at Tony's interruption. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about the safe word, and it was interfering with his enjoyment.

"I don't know, but I don't want to use "panda". I want something that's just ours." Tony saw the way Jethro's eyes lightened a bit at that idea. "How about tonight, we just use the yellow light, red light, and I'll decide on something specific later."

Jethro's smile widened at the idea that Tony automatically assumed there would be a next time, despite barely starting _this time._ "Sounds good." They shared a smile for a moment, and then Jethro was back in Dominant mode. "Roll over on your stomach and get comfortable."

Tony followed the instructions without thought. A moment later, Jethro was straddling him, and pulling his arms behind his back. Tony felt the rope go around one hand, and a knot form around his wrist. Then, the rope looped around both wrists, tying them firmly, but not painfully together. He felt a weird buzzing start in his head, warm and comfortable. He relaxed as Jethro slid down off his body, and bent his feet up towards his back, and then the rope went around them as well. A minute later, his feet and wrists were bound close together. He was surprisingly comfortable in the restraints of the softened rope, and his head turned so that he could look at his lover.

Jethro stood licking his lips as he took in Tony, restrained on his bed. "I'm going to go jump in the shower. Stay put."

Tony smirked. "Don't think I'm going anywhere, Jethro."

Jethro smirked back, and went to their closet. He opened it up, and pulled out one of Tony's black silk ties. He moved back to the bed, and Tony looked up at him curiously. Jethro placed the tie around Tony's eyes like a blindfold, tying it behind his head. He lowered his lips to Tony's ear. "Heightens the senses."

Tony let out a long shuddering breath, and listened to Jethro's footsteps as he headed for the shower. He relaxed into the bed, letting himself think about what was happening. He was tied into a pretzel, blindfolded, and left alone on Jethro's bed while the man showered. He felt oddly calm. He'd let people tie him up before, but it didn't usually last too long. He got uncomfortable quickly, and couldn't enjoy himself. He was extremely comfortable for the moment though. He could hear Jethro moving in the bathroom, close by, so he knew nothing would happen to him. He just let himself drift on the sounds of the running water in the next room.

He envisioned his muscular lover, wet and glistening in the bathroom light, soap running down his body. He had spent a lot of time with Jethro in the shower over the past two weeks. He thought about each occasion. His favorite was still the first time, where Jethro had fucked him bare, another first for Tony. He remembered how possessive Jethro's words were, and how it felt to have him unload directly into his body. He remembered the way they both shook afterwards, and the tender way that Jethro held him up.

He felt his erection begging for attention beneath him as he looked back on that night. He bit his lower lip, knowing that there was nothing he could do to release the pressure. He'd have to wait for Jethro, and the restraint of that made his head swim. He knew eventually, his lover would come back from his shower and help him relieve the ache, but for now, he had to wait and trust that Jethro would take care of him.

Jethro stood in the shower, taking his time, making sure to clean every bit of himself. He knew that Tony was lying in the other room, tied up, waiting for him. He also knew that the longer Tony waited, the more desperate he would be to please him. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he let the intoxicating feeling of control run through him. He gave himself a periodic stroke to relieve a little bit of pressure, and wondered if he might still have a cock ring somewhere. He doubted, but if Tony wanted to take it here every now and then, it might be worth looking into.

His hands met the tile in front of him as he let his head fall forward in silent chuckles. He couldn't believe that Tony had him considering going sex toy shopping. He shrugged and turned the water off, stepping out. He made sure that he was fairly dry before he headed back into the bedroom. He wanted to be able to slide across Tony's flesh without rubbing each other raw.

He emerged and saw Tony lying still on the bed, waiting for him to come and take him. Tony's head turned towards the sound of Jethro's feet on the wooden floor, and Jethro smirked at the tie around his lover's eyes. "You look so damn sexy like that; blindfolded, bound… just waiting for me." Jethro reached out and ran a finger down Tony's arm, fingering the rope at his wrist. There weren't any red scrapes indicating that Tony had been struggling. When he realized that, Jethro's breath hitched in his chest and he had to force himself to exhale.

He knew that Tony had been having a rough week, taking on more and more responsibility, but the idea that he needed to let go so much that he wasn't fighting the restraint at all, was mind boggling. He let his hand move to Tony's hair, and ran his fingers through it. He heard Tony sigh, and felt him lean the slightest bit into the touch. Jethro bent over the bed and began kissing Tony in various places. He started by going down his arms, and then moved to his thighs, and eventually, he rolled Tony on his side, and took his mouth in a deep, demanding kiss.

Tony let Jethro's tongue explore his mouth, suckling back just a little bit. It was completely unlike the kisses they had shared over the past couple of weeks. Tony had always been just as demanding when they kissed as Jethro, but this time, Tony gave himself up to be feasted on. Jethro felt the inner beast growling to be let out of his cage and ravage the willing man, but he held on to his restraint. He reached down and fingered a knot loose so that Tony's legs were free. He slowly straightened them so that the blood flow would return gently, and not cause a cramp.

He bent and whispered in Tony's ear, making him gasp. "You're behaving so well. You didn't move at all while I was in the shower."

Tony nodded slowly, his heart racing at the sudden sound in his ear.

"Sit up on the edge of the bed." Jethro's voice was back to normal volume, and full of the demanding tone that Tony was familiar with. Tony could tell that Jethro was standing next to the bed, and he sat up, facing that side. His head reeled with the intensity of the moment, and his cock throbbed for attention. He could smell Jethro's soap, and knew that he was standing very close. He wanted to reach out and touch him, but his hands were still bound behind his back. The reminder that he was restrained made him moan a little.

Jethro sat down on the bed next to Tony. "Stand up, take one step to the left, and turn around." Tony did has he was told, and felt Jethro's hands on him, feeling every part of his stomach, his waist and his chest. He could hear the way it sounded to have Jethro's hands on his skin, and it changed as they ran through his chest hair, pinching both of his nipples and causing him to gasp. Every bit of skin that Jethro touched was on fire, and Tony felt the ecstasy of being at his lover's mercy. "Kneel."

Tony dropped to his knees, wondering if he was going to be rewarded with what the position suggested. He had behaved, following all of Jethro's instructions and demands. He licked his lips in anticipation, panting with the need to wrap his lips around Jethro's cock. Tony could hear the soft sound of calloused fingers stroking the hard flesh, and he let out a whimper. He didn't want Jethro stroking himself- he wanted to do it for him.

"You want this?" Jethro asked, running his hand up and down his shaft again. He brought Tony's head forward by the hair. "Don't move." Jethro ran his cock across Tony's lips, smearing his thick pre-cum on them. Tony struggled with himself to keep from licking it off. He could smell the musky scent and yearned to taste it, moaning loudly as he felt it running down his chin.

"Is that what you want? My cock in your mouth?"

Tony nodded. "Yes, please." His plea came out high pitched and needy.

Jethro reached down and took Tony's cock in his hand, stroking it a few times and making Tony quiver. "I love that you're so eager to please me." Tony felt the words hit multiple chords within him. He had been eager to please Jethro since that first week in Baltimore. He had needed to know for so long that he'd been succeeding. To hear those words come from Jethro now was relieving. It felt better than the way he was being stroked; felt better than the cum dripping from his face. It was powerful.

"Lick your lips so I can kiss that beautiful mouth." Tony's tongue flicked out and sucked in the strings of cum waiting there. He groaned at the slightly salty flavor in his mouth. Jethro leaned in and kissed him fully, letting his tongue search for evidence of himself, as he continued to stroke Tony slowly. When he backed out of the kiss, he let his lips land on Tony's neck and nip him gently, over and over again, down to his collar bone. Each nibble made Tony shiver.

Jethro sat up and stopped stroking him, leaving him bereft of the touch. "Stand up." Tony heard the nightstand drawer open as he got to his feet. Jethro's hand was on his waist to steady him, but then let go. Tony heard the click of the lid on the bottle of lube. He could hear it squirt out of the bottle, and he knew that Jethro was rubbing his cock with it. The anticipation of being filled with his lover made Tony shiver.

"Turn around."

Tony turned around slowly, making sure he didn't trip over Jethro's feet. He felt a finger coated with chilly lube running up and down between his cheeks as Jethro pulled him closer by his rope. Once Tony was backed between Jethro's legs, Jethro let the lubed finger trace his sphincter, eliciting a moan from him.

Jethro's dry hand caressed Tony's body. It travelled along his stomach, down his muscular thigh and then played with his balls a moment, making Tony gasp. Jethro didn't want Tony to come yet, so he let his hand wander back up to Tony's nipples, playing with them before running his hand around to Tony's back. "God, Tony. You're incredible." He let his hand take one of Tony's, squeezing his fingers for a moment, and then the finger that had been playing with Tony's ass, plunged in past the ring of muscle.

Tony whimpered, needing much, much more than just a finger. Jethro teased him with the single digit for a long few minutes. He'd fuck him with it, graze his prostate, and then pull out, letting it run around the puckering ring again before taking the plunge once more. Tony felt the delicious tease set him on edge, and forced himself to take a few deep breaths. He wasn't allowed to come until he was told to. He tried to think of something other than Jethro's finger in him, tried to get his mind off of it, but just as he thought he was getting under control, a second finger joined the first, and they both headed straight for Tony's prostate. He gasped and moaned, struggling to keep the pressure from building any further. He whimpered as the fingers fucked him, scissoring and stretching him.

"I don't think I can wait, Jethro."

Jethro removed his fingers, and jerked on Tony's rope, which made his cock twitch hard. It was the same kind of painful pleasure that he had experienced when Jethro had used the belt to tie him to the bed. He cried out in desire, praying for permission to come. "You _**can**_ wait, and you _**will**_ wait. Do you understand me?" Tony bit his lower lip, and nodded fervently. He took a few deep breaths and forced himself to calm down. Jethro's commands were truth to his ears. He knew that he could do it, he could hold out, because Jethro told him so.

As soon as he he had a handle on things, Jethro pulled him down onto his lap, impaling him on his hard cock, and Tony cried out. He sat in Jethro's lap, unable to breathe for a moment as the shock of being suddenly filled took his breath away. It was unbelievably pleasurable, and his cock twitched violently, pleading on his behalf. Tony suddenly didn't want to come. He wanted to stay like that, full of Jethro, on the edge, forever.

Jethro had one hand on Tony's waist, the other on Tony's ropes, trapped between his chest and his lover's back. The tight chamber his cock was in, felt like coming home. He'd tried to hold out, but watching Tony's reaction to his demand to wait had pushed him too far. As soon as he knew that Tony had followed the order to get himself under control, he had brought him down on him, holding him still as they acclimated to one another. He knew Tony was still adjusting, but as soon as he was stable enough, Jethro was going to make sure both of their needs were fulfilled.

Tony let out a shuddering breath, and Jethro leaned back on his hands, the end of one long length of Tony's rope in each of them. "Fuck yourself on my cock."

Tony started rocking slowly, getting the motion right. He was drunk on Jethro's control, and he wanted to please him. He got the movements in sync between his legs and his back, and was able to really start fucking down onto his lover, riding him for all he was worth.

Jethro's head fell back as Tony worked himself over his cock again and again. He was tempted to let them both come like that, but he wasn't quite ready to give up control. On Tony's next downward thrust, he commanded that Tony stop. "Sit on me, and don't move." Tony let out an involuntary whimper.

After a long minute, Tony couldn't take it anymore. "Please, Jethro! Let me move! Please!"

Jethro stood up, holding Tony to him so that he didn't dislodge, and then turned them around so that Tony was face first on the bed. "Let me take care of you," he whispered in Tony's ear. Tony shivered, and felt himself melt into the mattress again. Jethro began to move in and out of him slowly. After sliding in and out of Tony for as long as he could at such a slow pace, he groaned, and the pace increased. He felt the tingle running down his spine that told him that he was about to come. He growled at Tony. " **DON'T COME!"** he shouted as he lunged into Tony one more time, and came deep into his ass.

Tony whimpered, struggling to hold back his own orgasm. He thought for sure Jethro was going to let him come finally, so he had let it build with the pace. He felt the weight of Jethro's body on top of his for a moment, and then it rolled off, pulling Jethro's cock from him. Jethro panted a few times, and then sat up in a haze. He rolled Tony gently on his back, pinning his arms beneath him. He carefully ran a finger up the underside of Tony's cock and over the head, making his lover cry out.

"Come, Tony."

Tony yelled at the top of his lungs as he let go, letting the orgasm send an explosion of cum shooting from his cock, and all over his stomach. Jethro leaned over him, kissing him deeply, feeling Tony shake beneath him as his hips jerked off the bed, and a second wave hit him. Tony convulsed, jerking with each wave or the orgasm. It was the most intense thing he had ever felt. Jethro's arms were around him as he twitched, holding him close as he kissed him. He would have blacked out if it weren't for the way Jethro's hand kept running through his hair, grounding him just enough to keep him conscious.

Jethro kept whispering to Tony through the orgasm, between kisses. "I love you, Tony. You mean everything to me. You're incredible…" The words imprinted themselves on Tony's heart, branding themselves there. Tony felt the world around him coming back more vibrantly than ever.

Even in the dim light of the lamp on the nightstand, Jethro could see the glaze of moisture over Tony's eyes, making them burn bright. He let his hand reach behind Tony and start fiddling with the knot there. Once he had it undone, he guided Tony onto his stomach and gently moved his arms so that they laid on the bed next to him. Jethro's hands rubbed Tony's shoulders and arms, making sure that the blood was flowing through them as his lover laid there in a puddle of post-orgasm bliss.

After a few minutes, Tony rolled over onto his back. Jethro leaned over, and bent to kiss him. Tony pulled him down to him, a hand on either side of Jethro's face. The kiss kept going for a long time, Tony's tongue back in equal demand. Once they finally separated to catch their breaths, Tony ran his hand down Jethro's chest, and then met his eyes. "I really needed that."

"Me, too." Jethro's hand caressed the side of Tony's face. "I felt like everything has been out of my control the past couple of days. I couldn't get a grasp on anything."

"I felt like I had no choice but to suddenly be in control, and I'm really not used to it. I feel so much better now. We may have to do this again soon." Tony smirked, and Jethro pulled him close.

"I think that could be arranged."

"I don't think I'm going to be able to go back to sleep after that," Tony said playfully, head against Jethro's chest.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Considering we got a full eight hours beforehand, I feel like that was more along the lines of "wake-up sex", not, "late afternoon, early evening sex". I feel like I should be starting an awesome day right about now." Tony snuggled closer to Jethro, running his hand across the older man's chest.

"We could start sniffing through the case files to see if we can find what brought Parke and "Elly" together," Jethro suggested.

Tony groaned. "I really want to stay away from work for the rest of the day. I had wanted to go through the files, but I think tonight needs to be about us."

Gibbs looked down at the man's head against him. He had an idea and considered it. It was simple enough to make him happy, and enough of a gesture to speak to Tony's inner romantic. "You wanna take a walk with me?"

Tony's head jerked up so that his chin rested on Gibbs' chest, and his green eyes met blue. "There's, like, a foot of snow out there." Jethro saw the spark in Tony's eyes, daring him to find a way to back out of the suggestion.

"I know. Would have to keep you close to me to stay warm." Gibbs let his face fall to reach for Tony's lips, and Tony's reached up to meet them. The kiss was gentle at first, but turned into something deeper. He felt Tony's confirmation before he had even replied. When they pulled away, Tony started to pull back and stopped.

"It still amazes me how much is said in one kiss with you, that I've never been able to say out loud with words, to anyone."

"Hell, Tony. We've never needed words," Gibbs said, afraid of getting into the emotional territory.

"That's pretty true, isn't it?" Gibbs nodded in return and then tapped Tony's hip. They both moved to get out of bed, and Tony stretched, yawning grandly. "Jump in the shower. I'll go flip the coffee maker on, and then come get mine."

"See? And I didn't even have to say anything?" Jethro joked. Tony smacked his ass on the way by, and both men chuckled as they headed their separate ways.

It was much cooler downstairs in his nudity than Tony realized it was going to be. He ran his hands up his arms, and made his way to the coffee maker. He pulled out the filter, grounds still in it from that morning, and dumped it, replacing it and filling it with coffee. He added the extra scoop that Jethro would need in order to make it taste like something other than brown water, then started the machine. He pulled two mugs out of the cabinet and left them on the counter for them, and headed upstairs to wash up.

Gibbs was just getting out of the shower, towel around his waist already, and another one drying his short hair vigorously. Tony turned the water back on, and then turned around, wrapping his arms around Gibbs as he stood in front of the mirror. He kissed the side of Jethro's neck and made his way up to his ear. Jethro growled and leaned on the sink. "Tony…"

"Insatiable, aren't you?" Tony asked with a chuckle, and jumped in under the hot water.

"I'll bide my time," Jethro said, giving Tony one more leer before he walked out of the bathroom.

Jethro had gotten dressed and was standing in the kitchen when Tony came downstairs, dressed in multiple layers of warm clothes.

"Did you decide to put on everything in your drawers?" Jethro joked as Tony doctored his coffee.

"I used to be able to handle the cold just fine before the plague. It's not that I don't like cold weather- it just doesn't like me very much." Tony huffed indignantly. "Besides, if Pitt finds out that I went walking in the snow without the extra protection, he'll kill me at my annual next month."

"You still see him?" Jethro asked, taken aback. He wasn't aware that Tony saw anyone but Ducky, and even then it was like pulling nails to get him to stop in.

"Every April. As far as doctor's go, he isn't so bad. Gives me a chance to rag on him. Can't pass up a chance to remind him that he ruined my chances to go Pro, and of course, educate him on how much better the Buckeyes are."

Jethro rolled his eyes. "You said it yourself- everything turns out as it should in its own time. I like "Federal Agent Tony" much better than I think I would have liked "Pro-Athlete Tony".

Tony smiled warmly at his guy. "I'm definitely not the same person I was back then. Different priorities now. I think I'm happier doing what I do now than I ever was on a court or field." He shrugged. "Certainly means a lot more." He looked off into space, thinking about Parke in the truck earlier. His mind drifted to his blowup at Simmons.

Jethro saw the wheels turning in his lover's head and decided to intervene. "So? Walk?"

Tony shook off his daze, and leaned in to kiss Jethro gently. He pulled back and looked into the blue eyes staring at him. "I'm really glad Pitt broke my leg."

Jethro smiled. "Me, too."

"Come on. Let's get out of here for a while." Tony got his gloves out of his trench coat pocket on the way out the door, and Jethro slipped his coat on, zipping it up.

Once out into the yard, the hush of a snow packed night worked its magic on them both, allowing them to relax into the silence. It was cloudy, but there wasn't any breeze. It was peaceful as they trudged down the driveway, and out onto the semi-plowed street.

Tony chanced a glance at the upstairs window of the house next door, and laughed as he saw the curtain swish shut. Gibbs looked at him quizzically. "She really does need a hobby."

Jethro smiled and reached out, taking Tony's hand. Tony squeezed back, but Jethro didn't let go. Tony grasped the hand firmly once again, and smiled, squinting for a moment before turning to walk hand in hand with Jethro down the street. "You're feeling brave tonight."

"Don't think "brave" is the right word."

Tony looked down at the road as he walked, monitoring the slush for upcoming slick spots. "Oh? Then what's the word?" He couldn't stop smiling as he kept his eyes on the slush.

"I think "proud" might work," Jethro replied, smiling at Tony as they walked.

"Proud?" Tony asked, the insecure disbelief in his voice obvious to the man next to him.

"I don't care what other people think of us, being two men, together like this. You're someone anyone should be proud to be with, Tony. I'm lucky to have you. I'm not going to act any differently with you because you're a guy. You deserve more. If other folks are stupid enough to try and mess with two federal agents, they'll deserve the ass-kicking they'll receive." Tony moved a little closer to Jethro so that their arms were touching.

"You really don't care that people know about us?"

"This is our neighborhood, Tony. People will get used to it, and anything they feel will pass. We're not going anywhere. If they can't deal, that's their problem. I'm not letting anything keep me from enjoying you."

Tony smiled broadly at Jethro. He stopped where they were on the street corner, and pulled him in for a kiss. Jethro kissed him back for a long minute, pulling Tony back to him when he tried to pull away.

"Convinced?" Jethro asked with a smirk.

"I was convinced when you took my hand," Tony said. "That was just to show my appreciation." Jethro laughed quietly, and they continued walking as the snow began to fall again.

"I'll admit," Jethro started slowly, "that I've never been too comfortable in public with guys before, but I've never been in love with one." He shrugged. "Changes the rules." He looked up at Tony. "What about you? You seem comfortable, but a bit…"

"Hesitant? Yeah. I'd like to be more comfortable. Been given reason not to be, unfortunately." Tony swallowed down the memories. He looked up at Jethro and grinned. "At the risk of sounding completely cheesy, I feel like I could take on anything with you next to me."

"You won't be taking it on alone."

"Haven't had to for a while. I've known you've had my back through it all." Tony looked back up at Jethro for a moment, and then, blushing, stared up into the falling snow. "You really think we'll have a snow day tomorrow?"

Jethro looked around and monitored the snowfall for a moment. "If it keeps coming down like this, I don't see the sense in dragging everyone out onto unsafe roads for no reason. We'll be on call, but I don't think we'll be going in." He gave Tony a smile and a wink.

Tony laughed. "Now I _know_ that someone has replaced you with a pod person." Gibbs let go of Tony's hand to head slap him, and Tony tried to duck out of the way, sliding and landing in a snow bank.

Jethro laughed as Tony yelled something profane that he couldn't quite hear.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you from inside the igloo," Jethro barely got the question out between laughter.

"I SAID," Tony yelled, "It's fucking cold in here- help me up!" His hand suddenly emerged from the white pile. Jethro tried to stop laughing, and took Tony's hand. It only took a second, and Tony had pulled him down on top of him with an "Ooomph!" as he landed.

"Now how funny is it?!" Tony said, his own laughter mingling with Jethro's. They laid there laughing for a minute before Jethro looked down into Tony's eyes. His gloved hand came up and caressed Tony's cheek. Their laughter stopped, but their smiles remained. "I love you, Tony. You make me happy again."

Tony stared back in awe. "I can't begin to tell you what you mean to me, Jethro."

Jethro bent over and kissed Tony slowly, careful not to start something they couldn't finish on the side of the road. When they pulled apart, they grinned at each other.

"Hey, Jethro?" Tony said softly.

"Yeah?" Jethro answered.

"Let me up."

Jethro laughed. "What if I want a Tony flavored popsicle?"

"Ummm… you can have one at home after you make a fire, and snuggle with me on the couch for a while."

Jethro started finding his way to his feet. "Sounds like a plan."

He reached down to help Tony up, this time succeeding. They dusted the snow off of one another, and turned to head home. Jethro reached down to take Tony's hand again, and Tony didn't hesitate to take it. He smiled at their joined hands, and then back up at Jethro before looking smugly forward.

"Feeling brave?" Jethro asked with a nudge.

"Proud." They shared a smile, and Tony nudged him back. They were quiet for a minute, and then Tony took a deep shaky breath. "When I was in boarding school, we had those weekends where your folks are supposed to come visit, pick you up, take you home for a couple of weeks for break, and then send you back to school. There were a lot of us whose parents never bothered to show up at all. My father, of course, was one of them. So, a break is coming up, and Saturday comes and goes, and Dad doesn't show. Didn't expect him to. He had said something in a letter a month or so earlier that he might stop by on the way to his next meeting, but he'd said things like that before, and they were just appeasements so that later he could say, 'Sorry… blah blah blah…. Really wanted to be there, but blah blah blah…" Tony shrugged, and Jethro wondered where the story was going. Tony's serious tone let him know that this was a story he needed to tell, so he let him babble.

"Well, middle of the week comes around, and this guy and I, Gary Kellogg, were making out in my room, when my dad walks in. Of all of the times for the jackass to follow through…" Jethro squeezed Tony's hand. He knew this wasn't going to be the typical, parental embarrassment kind of story. "It got ugly. Gary took off running down the hall, leaving Senior and I to get into it. I had just turned seventeen. That's the day he cut me off, or said he was cutting me off. I didn't know then that the trust was actually funded by mom's life insurance policy, and should have been mine completely. He managed to bleed off most of it before I found that out. I was able to transfer what was left into a private account, but..."

Tony let out a sardonic laugh. "The joy of having the same name as a con artist. I was about twenty-three when I found out. There was apparently a few hundred thousand in there at one point. _Definitely_ not that much by time I got to it. Should have taken the prick to court, but… he's my father. His first love has always been money. Don't get me wrong, we all know that I appreciate the finer things in life, but… they're pleasures, not priorities. I had never been a priority in his life, and I think when I _didn't_ turn him in, something clicked in him that said, 'Oh. That's what's missing.' Something clicked in me, too. I realized that he was a coward, and I had the power. I had the power to choose what I wanted my life to look like, who I wanted to be. I wanted to be a better person than him, and so I kept an eye on him through family and friends. I wasn't going to be the shitty son just because he was the shitty father."

Jethro let go of Tony's hand, and slid his arm around his lover's waist instead. Tony's arm slid around his without a moment's indecision. It was natural, and Jethro smiled at the contrast between Tony's action, and the story he was telling. "That man has no idea what he missed out on, keeping you away for all those years."

"Well, we all get what we deserve in the end. He's a lonely, miserable old man, whose life is such a twisted chain of lies that even he can't keep them all straight. And me? I'm fulfilled, happy, surrounded by people who care about me, and I'm in love with an incredible man. I win." Tony turned to Jethro and their eyes met, matching smiles on their faces.

They headed up the driveway and into the house, stomping their feet to get the snow off. The weight of the warm indoor air had Tony's head spinning for a moment, and Jethro rested a hand on his shoulder as he kicked his boots off. "You okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah. Why?" Tony had to think a moment before he realized what Jethro was asking him.

"A little unsteady on your feet for a second there."

"Always am for a when I go in and out of the cold winter air. It's been happening for so long that I don't even think about it. Just a head rush." Tony smiled at Jethro and hung up his coat.

"Really? I never knew that."

"There's probably a million things we don't know about each other," Tony said, leaning in to kiss Jethro. "I'm looking forward to learning them all." Jethro kissed him back gently. He took Tony by the hand and led him to the couch, pushing him back on it playfully as he turned to build a fire.

Tony took the throw blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped up in it, watching as Jethro bent over the fireplace, setting logs in the right positions to catch. A couple of minutes later, there was a nice blaze forming, and Jethro was sitting down next to Tony, taking his share of the blanket. Tony leaned against his chest, and Jethro pulled him close. They sat there warming up for a long time before Jethro's thoughts made their way to his lips.

"My dad doesn't know."

Tony nodded. "I know."

"I never really had a reason to tell him. Like I said, I've never been in love with a guy before. It was always…"

"Yeah." Tony took Jethro's hand. "So what are you going to tell him when he comes to visit?"

"That I'm in love with you." The words came out with no hesitancy. Tony looked up at him. "I told you, Tony, the rest of the world can go to hell. He'll either be okay with it, or he won't. Whichever, it's his problem. I'm happy."

"I know that the rest of the world can shove it, Jethro, but what Jack thinks has to mean _something_ to you." Tony's voice was soft, and he knew that he was treading on tricky ground.

"It does in some ways, but we've never really seen eye to eye on anything. If he has a problem with us being together, the worst he'll do is ignore the subject."

"It's going to be a hard subject to ignore if he's staying with us." Tony felt a little odd. Jackson had been really warm to him when they had the chance to meet. He didn't like the idea that he might suddenly ignore him, or treat him coldly.

"Honestly, I don't think he's going to have a problem with any of it, but if he does, I simply don't care. You," Jethro put his thumb under Tony's chin, and lifted his face so that their eyes locked. "You are my priority, Tony."

Tony thought about how warm Jethro's normally icy blue eyes suddenly looked. He leaned up and kissed him gently, then laid his head back on Jethro's shoulder. "You're mine, too, Jethro."

Jethro let his head fall onto Tony's, and closed his eyes. He was warm, happy, and holding the man he loved more than anything in the world. "You want to watch some TV?" he asked quietly, figuring Tony would be getting restless pretty soon.

"Nope. Just want to stay here, just like this."

Jethro smiled. "Sounds perfect." He thought to himself for a moment. "We don't have to talk do we?"

Tony shook his head with a smile that threatened to split his cheeks. That was his Jethro. "Nope."

"God, I love you," Jethro exclaimed, his head falling back for a moment.

Tony chuckled out loud and reached up for another kiss before resuming his position against Jethro's chest. They held each other for hours on the couch, shifting positions occasionally while the fire died down. The last thing either of them recalled, was Tony barely remembering to set the alarm on his cell phone, and tossing it on the coffee table, before they fell asleep together on the couch.


	22. Chapter 22

Tony reached out for his phone, grabbing for it before Gibbs could get his hands on it. The blaring alarm had made Tony startle, but it made Gibbs growl. Tony knew that he was going to have to be careful with his phone if he was going to continue using it to wake up by. He snatched it up before Jethro's hand came slamming down on the table. He touched the screen, and the offensive noise stopped.

Tony's head fell back onto Jethro's chest. They had slept comfortably on the couch through the night, but Tony knew that he would be achy when he stood up. He much preferred the idea of staying on Jethro for the rest of the day, resting safely.

Jethro reached up and pulled back the curtain over the window behind the couch with one hand, the other pressed securely against Tony's back to keep him from rolling off of him. It was still dark outside, but he could easily see that the snow had kept falling overnight.

He shuffled in his pocket for his phone, but couldn't get at it. He tapped Tony to signal he needed to move, and Tony shook his head "no", snuggling deeper into Jethro, and holding up his own phone for his lover to use.

Jethro tried to be frustrated, but his smile betrayed him. "Tony, you know I wouldn't know how to turn that damned thing on. I need my phone." His voice was gruff with sleep, but held the hint of fondness he had found he was using more and more with Tony.

Tony groaned and plopped his phone onto the coffee table again, then reached his hand into Jethro's pocket by the couch. He made sure to dig a little deeper than necessary, making Jethro laugh.

"Tony! The last thing I need is to be aroused while talking to Vance!" Tony chuckled into Jethro's chest, and held up the phone he'd retrieved. Jethro smacked the back of Tony's head, which only made him laugh harder. Jethro rolled his eyes, but ran his left hand through Tony's hair while his right hit speed-dial number eight.

The phone rang twice, and then a voice, rough with sleep answered. "You'd better not be calling me first thing in the morning with bad news, Gibbs."

"Snow day, Leon." Gibbs' voice was almost as sleepy as Vance's.

There was a moment of hesitation before Gibbs heard him speak again. "What?" Vance rubbed his eyes, and looked at the clock next to his bed. 6:08AM.

"Snow. Day. Tell dispatch to call us if needed, but my team-"

"And mine!" Tony said loud enough that Vance heard, and froze.

"And DiNozzo's," Gibbs added, giving Tony another head slap, "are staying safe and sound at home until then." Tony shrugged at the assault, and tried to stretch a little.

"Do me a favor, Gibbs. Call me back in an hour to let me know I'm not dreaming this one all up."

"I'll have Tony text you." With that, he snapped his phone shut. "You call Parke and Critten. I'll call Ziva and McGee." Gibbs picked up Tony's phone, and handed it off. Tony let it dangle in his hand over the edge of the couch.

"I need to wait until you're done. They'll hear you."

Gibbs nodded. He hit speed-dial number two, and let it ring. Ziva picked up after a couple of moments. "Gibbs? Please do not tell me that we have a case."

Gibbs smiled. "Nope. Snow day. Stay home, but by the phone." There was a long silence on the other end of the line. "Ziva?"

"Wait. What?" Ziva looked at her clock. 6:12AM. "Snow day?"

"Yup."

"Huh," she said.

"Take care." Gibbs flipped the phone shut, and joined Tony's silent chuckling as he shook. He hit speed-dial number three, and waited.

"Hello?" Tim sounded confused and groggy.

Gibbs didn't even try to stop chuckling. "Snow day, McGee."

"Snow day, Boss?"

"Did you just say 'snow day', Timmy?"

Abby's sleepy voice came from the background, and then joined Tim in the foreground. "Gibbs? Are we having a snow day?" Gibbs tensed for a moment, not sure he was ready to think about Abby and Tim in the same bed.

"Yeah, Abs."

Tony started laughing so hard that he almost fell off of Gibbs and subsequently, the couch. He clung to the coffee table for support.

"Put Tony on Gibbs," Abby demanded. With a groan, Gibbs handed Tony the phone. Tony took it in a slap-happy, sleepy daze.

"Uh-huh. Yes, it's real."

"Okay. Goodnight." Abby yawned, sounding satisfied.

"Yup. You, too." The phone disconnected, and Tony snapped it shut. He buried his head back in Jethro's shirt, and laughed. Jethro chuckled happily, and stroked Tony's hair.

"So that's how people react when hell freezes over." Tony gasped for air, trying to control his laughter at his friends' reactions.

"This isn't hell, Tony. It's D.C."

Tony shrugged. "Same difference."

"Call your team so we can go back to sleep."

Tony tossed the flip phone on the table, and tapped his code into the screen on the smart phone. Two rings in, Parke answered.

"Hello?"

"Parke? It's DiNozzo." Tony tried to sound more alert, but it was hard since Jethro's hand was coursing through his hair, lulling him.

"Hey, Boss." Tony's eyes snapped open, and his whole body tensed at the title.

"Hey, we're going to stay home, but on-call today. No sense in going out in this mess," Tony explained.

"Sounds smart."

"Yeah, ya know, I thought so," Tony joked.

Parke's voice got a bit quieter. "Anyone tell Kathy yet?"

Tony's eyebrows rose. "No. You volunteering?"

"Hell, no!" Parke came back with, sounding both startled and a bit venomous.

Tony tried to chuckle, but he really felt off about the way that Parke was so bitter about Simmons. Yeah, he didn't like the woman, but Parke had a specific edge to his voice that gave him the chills. "Told the Director. I think I'll let him break the news to Kathy. She isn't too happy with me right now."

"Oh? Really?" Parke asked, his entire tone changing on a dime. "Why's that?"

"Let's just say that she and I had a little heart to heart yesterday before I left."

"How? She doesn't have-" Parke took a deep breath. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. Sign of weakness." The words flowed from Tony's mouth without thinking, and he felt Gibbs chuckle underneath him. "Besides, you're right. That stays between you, me and the lamppost though. I'm going to go call Critten. Stay warm, and keep your phone on."

"Hey, Boss? I'll call him. Forgot to ask him about something last night anyway."

"Oh, okay. Thanks!" Tony's mind started racing. _Last night? He's gotta mean yesterday._ "See you tomorrow then."

"Sure. See you then."

Tony hung up the phone and stared off into space. "Huh."

"Hmm?" Gibbs replied dozily.

"Parke is going to call Critten for me."

"Good. Go back to sleep." Gibbs took Tony's phone from him, and put it on the table. "Think later, sleep now." Gibbs held Tony close with both arms, and rubbed his cheek into Tony's soft hair.

Tony smiled, and did his best to tune out the rest of the world as he listened to Jethro's heartbeat, and finally fell back to sleep.

* * *

Parke got off the phone with his new boss, and rubbed his eyes. He gathered his thoughts, and brought Elly up in his contact list. The goofy picture of them at the bar starred back at him, and he smiled. His teammate reminded him so much of Shane sometimes. It wasn't so much his features, but his personality, and the expressions that personality shone though. Parke sighed heavily, and pressed 'Call'.

Elly answered on the first ring. "Heya!"

"Hey," Parke answered with a smile. "DiNozzo just called. We're not going in today because of the snow. Unable to sleep still?"

"Couldn't all night. That's what happens when you sleep like a log for twelve hours."

Parke laughed. "It's not my fault the couch is so comfortable. It was Tiffany's pick. She likes, what she calls, "the snuggle up kind" of couches, that suck you in and don't let go."

"I didn't want to let _it_ go last night. Speaking of Tiff, she home yet?" Elly prompted.

"Nope. Her flight was delayed because of the weather, so she rented a car, and drove a little south of Atlanta to visit a friend of hers from college that's been bugging her to get together. She's spending the day there and catching a flight home tomorrow night sometime." Parke hesitated, not wanting to sound pushy, but needing to talk some things through with the other man. "Wanna come over?"

When Elly didn't hesitate to say "Sure," Parke felt himself forcing back a sigh of relief.

"You want me to bring my stuff?" Elly asked casually.

"Up to you. We could just, you know, hang." Parke didn't want Elly to think that they couldn't just do the friend stuff, as well.

"I'll bring my stuff," Elly chuckled a little.

"Cool. See you then!" Parke hung up the phone beaming. He'd only known Elly for a couple of months now, and he'd become such a big part of his life. If Tiffany knew what they were doing, she'd flip out, but they had both decided to keep things quiet until they figured out some things. He had promised Tiffany that he'd stop doing this, but then he met Elly, and he had no choice but to start again. Elly gave him hope, which is something he hadn't had for a long time. He'd been happier in the past two months than he had been in a long time, and there was no way he could give this up now, not when they were so close.

* * *

Elly had hung up smiling as well. He jumped up from the couch, and headed for the shower. He started doing a mental inventory of everything he'd need to bring with him. His tech bag had his work laptop in it; he'd have to add his personal computer. Then there was a change of clothes in case they got a case, and an extra change of clothes in case they got a case that left them snowbound at the office or elsewhere. He showered, rushed around packing, and grabbed a bottle of water on his way out.

Once in the car, he tried to concentrate on driving carefully in the slick mess. His mind wandered though, thinking about how different the past couple of months had been since Parke had joined the team.

When Elly had started on Kathy's team, he had been excited to get out of the basement. He'd started at NCIS with a lot of hope that eventually, he'd make it to the field. The taskforce that he had worked with in Minnesota had been deeply investigative, but he worked with people when they had lost money, and despite the tension that could cause, it was very impersonal.

Watching the "real" cops working other kinds of cases, made him realize that he wanted to do more than sit behind a computer chasing a money trail. NCIS offered him the chance to follow other kinds of tech trails, while possibly training him further to be an agent. When he was tapped for FLETC, he was ecstatic. He made it through the classes much easier than he thought he would, and hoped he would finally find a place to fit in when he joined Simmons' team. It didn't take long for him to see that tensions were high between his new co-workers.

His new boss seemed friendly at first, but despite requesting her team to call her by her first name, was one of the most impersonal people he had ever met. She also went overboard with the women-in-the-workplace agenda, thinking that any man in power had gotten there by walking on their third leg. Elly was well aware of how much harder women had to work in law-enforcement in order to earn some respect, but it consumed his boss, giving her tunnel vision.

That tunnel vision had stepped on some toes along the way, and he was replacing an agent that apparently couldn't take it anymore. His other teammate, Brickerson, had no problem that Simmons was a woman, but he had run against her for the lead position, and lost. He wasn't bitter about it at first, but Simmons had a way of making snide comments, rubbing salt in the wound with a condescending tone that made him cringe, and earned her Brickerson's loathing.

The tension had become unbearable apparently, because as soon as the team lead position on one of the Gulf teams opened up, Brickerson applied, and two weeks later was transferred down there, accepting the position despite leaving his relatives behind in D.C. and Maryland.

Elly had hoped that would solve the issue. Parke soon came on board, and they had their first murder case together as a team. That case had changed so much for him; _Parke_ had changed everything for him.

He finally pulled into Parke and Tiffany's driveway. He considered Tiff for a minute. He felt bad for keeping her out of the loop, and encouraging Parke to betray her trust. She had been nothing but kind to him, making him feel like a welcome addition to their lives. This was just too important, though. He knew that in the end, she would be happy for Greg, but it still meant that, for now, they were sneaking around, and part of him felt ashamed.

_As soon as we figure enough of this out to be sure we're on the right path, I'll get Greg to tell you, Tiff- I promise. We just have to find him._

* * *

Abby woke up snuggled safely in Tim's arms. She was warm and comfortable despite the actual bed she had slept in. Her eyes blinked open to the sight of Tim's sleeping face, and she smiled. She felt oddly calm, like she was in her happy place, but without the caffeine, and it had her dazed. She had been terrified of falling in love with Tim years ago, knowing that, though older than him, she felt much younger. Tim had somehow seemed like an old soul that was inexperienced in life, despite what she was able to bring out of him in the bedroom.

She was ready for who he was now, and he'd become more than she'd anticipated. She was incredibly grateful for him, and always had been, but it was definitely different now- she was grateful that he'd waited for her.

She smiled gently at him as his eyes opened. They were a little bluer today. She never could resist his eyes. They were a gray-blue-teal, and they were easily her favorite eyes she'd ever seen on a man. They were like a storm cloud when he was protective. When they were light blue, it increased that innocent look he had down so well. Then, there were times like the night before, where they went dark teal, and full of passion. That was her favorite.

Her hand reached up to cup Tim's face, and planted a deep kiss on his lips, taking his breath away. When she pulled back, his eyes were closed as he took in the moment. When they opened, Abby could already see them turning greener. She felt her breath going ragged, and then in once smooth motion, Tim was on top of her, kissing her senseless.

* * *

The first thought Gibbs had when he woke up, was that it was one of the most peacefully quiet moments he had experienced in years. Tony was on his chest asleep still, Gibbs' arm on his back, making sure he stayed securely against him so he didn't fall on the floor.  
The second thought he had was about how rested he felt. Even with sleeping on the couch again, he felt better than he had in a long time. He usually wasn't one for sleeping in. Typically, if he slept past seven, he got grumpy and aggravated about wasting time that he could've spent being productive. This morning however, he didn't feel like a moment of sleeping in with Tony had been wasted. He smiled as he stared down at Tony's tousled hair. He still couldn't believe how much Tony has changed his life since they met, especially in the past two weeks.

He stifled a chuckle as he thought about Vance's reaction to hearing Tony's voice on the line earlier, and then realized that it was probably how _he_ felt having Abby take over his call with McGee. Tony was right though; he knew he could trust McGee. After all, he'd watched Tim go from stuttering tech geek to his new SFA, making the trip through the trenches of standing up to him _twice_ for his family members, and coming out stronger on the other side of each scenario. Gibbs had to admit that he'd definitely grown a soft spot for the kid over the years.

If Abby was a daughter to him, McGee wouldn't be a bad choice for a son-in-law. Tim had definitely had Tony's back through the past week, and that had earned the kid even more of his trust. He wasn't sure he would have considered McGee as Tony's confidant until Tony brought it up. Until this past case, he wouldn't have thought McGee was ready to be an SFA either, but he'd handled it pretty well. It was still uncomfortable that everything was changing so quickly, but maybe Ducky was right, and the changes would be good for Tony, and even, when he considered it, for himself. Waking up to Tony sleeping on his chest was definitely a good change that he could deal with more of.

Tony started to wake, nuzzling against him in an endearing away. He watched the younger man shift, and then felt the arms around him, strong and warm. He held on tighter as Tony clung to him. He felt something inside hum with happiness, and ache at the same time. He fought back the ache, telling it that this was real, and he wouldn't let it be taken away from him this time. He would do anything and everything possible to make sure that Tony stayed safe. He knew that meant that he was going to have to get to know Critten and Parke better, and make sure they knew that their job was not just to have each other's backs, but Tony's as well.

He kissed Tony's head, and then let his own head fall back on the couch with a smile. Right then, in that moment, nothing could disturb them. They had each other, they had the warmth and safety of their home, and they had that perfect moment of peace. He breathed it in happily, letting the negative thoughts that were trying to work their way in, know that they weren't welcome. A few minutes later, Gibbs felt Tony shift his head so that his chin was resting on Gibbs' chest. He opened his eyes and looked down to find Tony's sleep-glazed green eyes staring back at him. He felt the smile on his lips grow, and his eyes burnt a little as he stared back, unable to blink.

"I love you, Tony."

Tony's smile brightened up the darkness of the room in the cloudy morning light. It shooed away all of the negative possibilities that had tried to infiltrate Gibbs' mind as he had watched Tony sleep against him. He decided that he needed to remember to say it more often, because seeing Tony smile like that was worth it, and the warmth that spread through him when Tony's voice came out rough with emotion as he said it back, made him realize that he felt more human than he had in years. He'd tried to find this time and time again, and finally, here it was.

A thought caught in his throat, and he barely kept his lips from letting the words spill out. He felt his breath hitch, and come out in a long shudder. _Where did that come from?_ he wondered. He tried to control himself, and not let the apprehension show that he felt running through him. He knew that Tony wanted them to last, had agreed to move in with him and start a life with him, but Tony also knew his track record with the "M" word, and inevitably, the "D" word. He'd probably laugh in his face if he asked him to marry him, or just as painfully, said that he wasn't ready, and that they needed to wait a while still. The hesitation would have killed the older man as much as the blatant 'no'.

Tony watched Jethro's face as the thoughts ran across his lover's mind. He saw the way his eyes widened for a moment, and felt the shudder in Jethro's chest as he let out a nervous breath. _What's that about?_ He couldn't quite place the look on Jethro's face as it flickered between emotions. There was a touch of sadness under the overwhelming happiness he saw, and he figured it had something to do with Shannon. He wanted to ask, but he knew that if Jethro wanted to say something, he would. Tony had figured out long ago that pushing the older man to talk made him shut down faster than anything else, so he let it go. Eventually, Tony believed Jethro would open up a little more about his first love, but he knew it would be on "Gibbs-Time". He respected that, just as Jethro had learned to let Tony get things out when he was ready.

Tony knew that if he didn't get up soon, he was going to ache for a week. "I gotta hit the head. You wanna get the coffee started?" he asked, offering Jethro a way out once he realized that the older man wasn't ready to talk yet.

Jethro smiled again, grateful for the reprieve. He knew that Tony was intentionally offering it up, but he had no idea why. There was no way Tony could know what thought it was that had crossed his mind just a moment before, could he? Tony's lips landed on his for a short yet sweet kiss, which he gladly returned. He watched as Tony got to his feet gracefully and stretched, hearing his back and knee pop and crack. He sat up himself and shook a little as the chill crept up his spine, suddenly bereft of the warmth from Tony's body.

Tony headed up the stairs, and Gibbs made his way to the coffee maker. He dumped out the grounds still in there from the last batch, and started a new pot. He watched the liquid percolate, considering Tony's history with the idea of commitment and marriage. He was so lost in thought that he jumped when Tony's hands came around his waist. The coffee had stopped dripping by that point, and he had just been staring at the pot. He leaned back into the warm embrace.

"You testing your Marine willpower? Seeing how long you can keep yourself from pouring a cup?" Tony asked, kissing Gibbs' neck before resting his chin on the older man's shoulder. That caused Jethro to chuckle a bit and smile, resting his arms along Tony's.

"It's just weird to be home so late in the middle of the week. Guess I'm a little thrown off," Jethro said, his voice light as he enjoyed the touch of the man behind him.

"You must be if you forgot how to pour coffee. I mean, haven't you been doing that since you were like, what? Three?" Jethro's hand came around the back of Tony, and head slapped him without even turning around. Tony laughed, and held onto Jethro tighter as the older man tried to step out of his grasp to reach the cabinet where the coffee mugs were. Tony took a step back, pulling him further away, making them both laugh as he reached desperately for the cabinet. It was a playful moment that neither thought they'd ever share, and it wasn't lost on either man.

Finally, Jethro turned around in Tony's arms, and held him in return. Their sparkling eyes met, and Jethro leaned in to kiss Tony deeply. Tony sighed in contentment, and let the kiss linger on his lips well after it ended, finally letting Jethro slip out of his hold to get two mugs down, and pour them both some coffee. Tony watched as Jethro added sugar and creamer to a mug of coffee before turning around and handing it off. He took it gladly, and leaned against one counter to sip on it, while Jethro did the same on the other end.

"I think I need to go through those case files before I go crazy. I am dying to figure this out. I'm not sure what it is that's eating at me so bad about this, but something isn't right." Tony's stare was focused across the room in that way Jethro was very familiar with. He watched Tony try to think through the mystery to piece together the bits he had so far, looking for direction.

"Why don't I grab a shower, then I'll come down and build a fire, and we can go through the files together?" he offered, hiding his ulterior motive of getting to know the guys that would have his lover's back behind a helpful glance.

"Sounds good. I might get started without you. Don't forget your glasses." Tony gave him a quick peck, and then headed into the living room, grabbing his bag from the front door, and getting comfy on the couch.

Gibbs grabbed his phone from the coffee table while Tony's back was turned. He needed to talk to Ducky. He didn't want Tony to know because he wouldn't be able to explain his anxiety that he'd almost blurted out a proposal that morning. He headed upstairs to the bedroom and closed the door, then headed for the bathroom, and closed that door behind him as well. He kept his ears open for any sign that Tony might be coming upstairs, but he heard none. Satisfied that he'd settled in downstairs, and wouldn't be disturbing the conversation, Gibbs opened his phone and hit speed-dial five.

On the third ring, Ducky answered with a cheerful greeting. "Ah! Jethro! How are you enjoying your day off?"

Gibbs smiled, leaning against the bathroom sink. "All things considered, it's not too bad, Duck." His voice gave away the tension he felt though, and Ducky picked up on it right away.

"But?" he prompted.

Gibbs ran his hand through his hair, and then he found the words tumbling out of his mouth in a very uncomfortable ramble. "Except for the part where I almost proposed to Tony out of nowhere this morning, when we woke up together on the couch a little bit ago. Duck, what the hell is wrong with me?"

"Oh, my, Jethro. That is-"

"Crazy? Irrational? Nuts?" Gibbs interjected.

"I was going to say momentous. Why would you think it is so irrational? Tony is planning on sharing a domicile with you. You have both proven this week that you are in this for the long haul, changing your lives in ways I never would have imagined for one another. It wouldn't be any more out of the blue than anything else that has happened over the past two weeks." Ducky considered the idea. "Actually, with your history, it might just be the first predictable thing that has happened so far. Maybe I should see who would be interested in staking money on it," he joked with a chuckle.

"Duck…" Gibbs growled with a warning.

"Do relax, Jethro. I'm only joking." Ducky could hear Gibbs let out a sharp exhale, and realized just how worked up his friend really was over this. "Why does it bother you so much? Is it because of Tony's commitment issues? Is it because of your past marriages, and how they ended? Or is it because you almost did something based on what you were feeling at the moment, without thinking and overthinking it?"

Gibbs started rolling his eyes, and then stopped to consider it. He hadn't thought about that. He wasn't really a 'think-with-the-heart' kinda guy. He trusted his gut and thought things through, but he didn't trust himself to feel his way through something like this. He could let his emotions guide him and push him during cases, but when it came to his love life, he had been using his head for so long because he was _unable_ to feel. He had left _feeling_ back in the days of Shannon and Kelly. He'd tried and failed to force himself to feel the emotions he thought he was supposed to feel with the exes. It was so different this time.

"It all just comes so naturally with him, Duck. I haven't felt like this in a _really_ long time. I don't want to lose him, or scare him off. I don't want to push. This might be something I want, but I have no idea if it's something Tony would want, or find important." He sighed again, running his hand across the back of his neck.

"Jethro, listen to yourself! You just said that you want to marry the boy."

"Don't call him a boy, for Christ sake! Come on, Duck!"

"Don't deflect. You have told me that you ended up in your last three marriages because it was what _they_ wanted. This is the first time you have ever given me any indication that marriage could be what _you_ want. You didn't ask him to marry you this morning because you're afraid he'll say no, and you really want him to say yes."

"Of course he's going to say 'no', Ducky! I mean, I'm the train-wreck of marriages! I not only ruined three marriages, but managed to come between Tony and Wendy when Tony got engaged…"

Ducky cut him off. "How do you figure that one?"

Gibbs let out a sharp sigh, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. "I knew he was engaged when I invited him to come work at NCIS. I also knew that she didn't like that he was a cop, always in the line of fire, and when shit hit the fan with his partner, Danny, it would have been the perfect chance for him to bow out, but I couldn't leave him alone. I… I needed him around, even then. I did what I could to keep him. I brought him on board, knowing what it would do to their relationship."

"Do you honestly think Anthony would be happy doing something other than law enforcement, Jethro? If someone wanted to be with you, claimed to love you, but didn't support you in your calling, would you honestly believe that they loved you?" Ducky was astounded to think that Jethro would take responsibility for someone else's relationship failing that was doomed at the core.

"No, I guess not." Gibbs thought for a moment. "I'm the poster child for not rushing into a marriage, and this morning, I almost asked Tony to rush into yet another one with me. I didn't realize that was something I even wanted, and I almost just blurted it out, uncontrollably."

"You need to consider it then. You need to find out what Anthony wants, and you need to discern what you want. If you don't feel you can trust your gut on this one, then think it through, be honest with yourself, and him, about you feel. Remember that Anthony loves you with everything in him, Jethro. Anyone that has seen the way he looks at you lately knows it."

Gibbs took a deep breath, trying to clear his head. "Thanks, Duck."

"You deserve to be happy, Jethro. So does Anthony. You're giving him that. Don't deny yourself the joy as well just because you're afraid. Think about it." The line went dead, and Gibbs stared at the phone. _Did he really just hang up on me? What is it with people hanging up on me lately?_

Gibbs stripped his clothes off, and reached for the shower knobs, turning the water on nice and hot. He climbed in under the spray, considering what Ducky had said. He thought about what being married to Tony would mean. He knew it wouldn't change their commitment to one another. Ducky was right- one look into Tony's eyes, and Gibbs saw forever. There was absolutely no doubt in those green gems that Tony was in as deep as he was, and he knew that depth was only getting deeper. _Eventually,_ he thought. _Eventually I'll ask him. We just have to give it enough time to feel right._

As he rinsed the soap off of him, he realized that for him, it did feel right. He wanted to get his friends together, and he wanted to tell them all that Tony was 'it', the one he was waiting to feel this way about again. He wanted to ask them to be there by their sides as they struggled with their issues, to stand with them against all of the things that would try to tear them apart over the years, and to celebrate their happiness with them. He wanted to bring them all into this place with him, and that in and of itself had him shaken at the core.

He leaned against the wall, letting the hot water cascade down his back. The time would come, he decided. Until then, he would just let it go and wait. This was the time to enjoy the newness of what they had. He breathed deeply, and resolved to simply enjoy the rest of the day. He turned the water off, and headed for the bedroom to get dressed.

* * *

Tony had his head buried in the second case file in the stack. It was from two weeks after Critten had joined the team. He was trying not to seethe as he read over Kathy's notes. She would first discuss Critten's inexperience in the field, pointing out all of the shortcomings because of that, and then she would express his willingness to learn. It never mentioned what she did to help him achieve that. Tony knew that was because there _wasn't_ any attempt to teach the young agent how to act in the field.

This was made even clearer by Brickerson's files. He had been put in charge of "guiding", as he put it, Critten in the field. Basically, Kathy had pawned off training her newest agent on her SFA. Tony knew that Gibbs had put a lot of McGee's field training in his hands, but that was because Gibbs had no idea how to relate to the geek, and he trusted Tony to make sure it was done right. Gibbs had no problem with training Tim, though. Kathy seemed to act like it was beneath her to associate with Critten. It was infuriating.

Tony felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Jethro handing him a mug. "Coffee?" he asked with the helpless smile that his lover brought to his face. Jethro smiled back and nodded. "Thanks."

"You okay? You didn't hear me even come get your cup a minute ago." Gibbs moved to the fireplace and started setting the wood in place for a blaze.

"I'm only two files in, and I want to call Critten and apologize on Simmons' behalf for being such a lousy example of leadership. The woman left him to the wolves, expecting Brickerson to train him. Brickerson didn't seem too happy about it. I don't get the feeling that he disliked Critten, but I get the feeling that he felt like he was being ordered to do something he wasn't comfortable with. Maybe I should call him, get his take on it all."

Jethro had gotten the fire started, and moved towards the couch. He tapped Tony's feet, which immediately moved to make room for him. "He might be able to give you some insight. He's in Georgia now, right?"

"Yeah. He took lead on a team down there, leaving the vacancy that Parke took." Tony stared off into space thoughtfully. Jethro stared at him, waiting for the spacey look to fade. He held out his hand, and Tony handed him the two files he had finished with. Jethro slipped on his glasses, and started reading through the files. Tony ploughed through another one.

They had gotten through another half dozen, when Tony finally got to the point where Parke was on the team. Their first case was dealing with a drug runner. It was pretty normal stuff. Parke's report wasn't so shy to leave out how he felt directionless. He didn't have Brickerson to show him stuff like Critten had, and Critten had only been an agent for about six months. Kathy's report included her normal condensation of Critten, and though she was quick to point out that Parke had great interpersonal skills with the people they worked with, he lacked in field work experience. As with Critten, she didn't report trying to fix that, disregarding the entire concept of field education.

Tony looked up at Jethro. He remembered his first case as an agent. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like coming to work for Jethro without field experience. He remembered Jethro constantly checking his work, and Tony had proved each time that his work was solid. He had felt pride at earning Jethro's approval. It had meant so much more than his former bosses. He knew that Jethro had higher standards than anyone else he had ever worked for. It came from his personal sense of integrity, not from the supervisor side of things. Tony respected that, and agreed with it.

Jethro tossed the folder aside he had been reading, and looked up at Tony, meeting his gaze. "Finished with that one?"

Tony nodded, but didn't move.

"You okay?"

"I want to know how she has gotten as far as she has without getting these guys killed. She hasn't done anything to train them. What is wrong with her?" Tony shook his head, and handed the file to Jethro, obviously disgusted. He opened the file on his lap and looked back up, feeling Jethro's eyes on him. "I know I'm not always the easiest person to work with, but you would never have let us out in the field without some sort of guidance. I at least got smacked in the back of the head when I was getting on the wrong track. They didn't get anything." Tony exhaled and looked back at the file.

He started reading the case synopsis. It had been a murder-kidnapping that got even stickier. They had arrived on the scene to find the bodies of a woman and a teenaged girl. Kathy's report was quick to tear into Critten. Tony sat up straighter, crossing his legs and rubbing his temple. He shook his head. and then closed Kathy's part of the report, sitting it on the table before he gave in threw it across the room.

He opened Parke's folder instead, and began reading over his case report. He read about how Critten had taken seeing the bodies really hard. Unlike Kathy's deduction that it was because it was the first murder case they had that involved a child, he had talked about how he witnessed his teammate's reaction to the mother. He likened the experience to a Post-Traumatic Stress episode. He gave detailed reasons for why he thought so, and discussed how he had managed to isolate Critten for a few minutes, and talk him back down to Earth.

Tony shook his head, and closed his eyes. He put the folder down on the desk, and got up for his bag. He came back to couch with his laptop. Gibbs watched him curiously as he pulled out his phone while waiting for his computer to boot.

"Tim. I need your help. I need to find out a couple of pieces of information, and I have a feeling that I'm going to need to go through some red tape zones." Gibbs shifted towards Tony on the couch and listened. "I need two things. First, I need to know whatever I can about how Elijah Critten's mother died. Second, I need to get into his psych eval."

Gibbs' eyes closed, and he shook his head as he let out a deep breath. He picked up the folder that Tony had just been looking over, and began to read through it. As soon as he got to Parke's description of the situation at the crime scene, he understood. He was going to make sure that Kathy was never put in charge of anyone ever again. He felt for the kid, and he wanted to strangle Simmons.

Tony and Tim worked for about fifteen minutes until they had the files unlocked that they needed. Tony brought up the information on Critten's mother's death. She had been attacked in her home by a robber. Critten had been three years old, and down for a nap the time. He had found her after the robbery, and his brother had come home from school shortly after, and found Elijah curled up with his dead mother on the couch.

Gibbs was reading over Tony's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around his lover, knowing that the shaking he felt going through the couch wasn't due to the anger Tony felt, but the horrible fate that he would be addressing this issue when he himself had found his mother dead at a young age.

Tim's voice came through the speaker on the phone that sat next to the laptop. Gibbs hadn't realized he was still on the line, but he knew that he had been reading the file on his end as well. "Tony? Are you okay?" His voice was soft but sure, and Gibbs pulled Tony closer, feeling Tony collapse against him. The three of them sat in silence as Tony shook, and Gibbs held him tightly. Gibbs was grateful that Tim had the sense not to say anything. He wasn't sure what _could_ be said at that moment.

Tony had felt his whole body go cold as he read over what Critten's past held. He tried to chase the memory away before he could get lost in it, but he knew it was no use. He felt himself standing in the den, not sure of the silence in the house, looking around for his mother, his nanny, Anita, or at least their cranky maid, Donna, but he couldn't find any of them. Anita, he now knew, had been sent home by his mother the night before for a few days off since she was going to be at the house. Donna was with her ailing mother for the weekend.

He'd only been eight when he had found that his mother had really over-done it this time. The booze and pills were lethal. Whether intentional or not, they would never know. She had never known her limits. He couldn't believe that she wouldn't wake up this time. He went over to her, prepared to shake her like he normally did to bring her around. When he grabbed her cheeks though, she was icy cold, her beautiful face much paler than usual. He didn't remember what happened next, until Donna showed up that afternoon to find him sitting on the floor next to the couch, rocking back and forth.

He spent the next seven years having his head shrunk by multiple high priced psychologists, his father obsessed with the idea that one day, Tony would lose it, and shame the family. Tony developed his own ways of dealing with it, and eventually, he was okay. He remembered the first time he showed up on a scene in Philly to find a woman had done herself in the way his mother had. He hadn't had too hard of a time, but it wasn't pretty. He excused himself to the balcony and discreetly puked in a plant, took a few deep breaths and came back in, blaming it on a bad breakfast burrito.

He felt Jethro kiss the top of his head, and closed his eyes, swallowing hard. He was so lucky to have Jethro and Tim's support. He let out a deep breath, and sat up, but not out of his lover's hold. "Tim? What does his psyche eval say?" Tony's voice came out quieter than he expected, and he cleared his throat.

"It says that he's dedicated, driven, and passionate about his work, most likely stemming from the loss of his mother. It goes on to say that he's constantly searching for a family unit to fit into, most likely because his father was always gone, his brother is eight years older than him, and his inability to let his step-mother in once his father remarried. He and his brother lived with an aunt for two years before the marriage, and then they lived with the step-mom. He admits that she tried to get close to him, supporting him and getting heavily involved in his life, but anytime he felt close to her, he felt like he was betraying his mother." Tim was quiet as he read a little further, then he continued. "They comment that it's not normal for someone who lost their mother so young to maintain such a strong attachment, but he appears to cope with it in a positive way, using it to drive his work. So, basically, being an agent is his way of dealing with his mother's death."

Tony's anger started to bring him back around. "So, they show up to this scene, and Critten finds a woman dead in a similar way that his mother died. He blanks out, and Simmons' doesn't do a damn thing about it. She not only doesn't check on him, but berates him. We all have some kind of crime scene that gets to us more than others. We all know that one call that we get that makes our guts wrench, the ones that we spend the whole ride in steeling ourselves against." Jethro and Tim both sat silently, thinking about their own personal nightmare calls. "I'm sure we can all remember the first time we encountered that kind of scene, and what it did to us. From what I've read, this is the first time Critten encountered his, and that bitch just left him to his own devices."

Tony felt the fury winning over the shock. His teeth ground against one another. He suddenly jerked out of Jethro's arms as he jumped to his feet. "WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT WOMAN?! If it wasn't for Parke, he's probably still be standing in a crime scene in North Ridge! God… the first time I showed up to a burning crack house, I froze. When I found out that they were concerned that a couple of kids were trapped in there, I lost it. I mean, LOST IT. I was stuck in a shrink's office every day for a week, and was mandated to see him once a week for six months after that."

Gibbs' eyes left Tony's face, and stared into his tightly folded hands. He remembered the first time showing up to a scene with a little girl that reminded him of Kelly. All of the military training in the world couldn't prepare him for the kick in the gut that was. He remembered the look on Mike's face as he turned to him, knowing what was coming. He'd cleared the room, sending the techs and LEO's out. His voice was gruffer than normal when he rested his hand on Gibbs' shoulder, and stood between him and the little girl, forcing reddening blue eyes to his own.

" _This is gonna be a rough one, Probie. You just gotta check it at the door. You got your closure, her Daddy ain't got his. It's up to us to make that happen."_

He couldn't imagine what would have happened if he had been standing there, feeling that horrible grief all over again, and not had someone to snap him out of it.

"Oh, shit." Tim's voice startled both Tony and Gibbs. Neither were used to hearing him curse, and it was doubly concerning.

"What?" Tony finally asked when they didn't hear anything for a minute.

"How far into that case file have you guys gotten?" Tim's voice sounded horrified.

"The first few paragraphs of Parke's report, and the first page of Kathy's. Why?" Tony answered, sitting back down on the edge of the couch, picking up the folder. Gibbs moved to look over his shoulder again.

"It gets worse. The kid that was taken, was the woman's foster child. So was the girl that died. Guess who spent most of his life in foster homes." Tony's head fell into his hands in defeat. It was Gibbs' turn to get to his feet in anger.

"That explains Parke's degree in social work," Tony said.

"Yeah. I just browsed through Critten's report. Parke and Critten went off on their own to find the kid based on a _hunch_ , despite Kathy's orders not to, and _did._ They not only found him, but two other boys his age locked up in the suspect's basement. All three boys had been beaten and raped multiple times." They all went silent again.

Tony finally spoke. "Great. I have two extremely dedicated, driven, intelligent men on my team, that could be psychologically unstable because their wellbeing was neglected during a crucial point in their careers. What's worse, is that if I point out Simmons' complete incompetence, I highlight their histories, and it could compromise their jobs, and their trust in me. This blows."

Gibbs came and sat down next to him again. "What are you going to do?"

They all sat in silence for a long time while they thought. Tony got that far off look in his eyes as he stared across the room, and Gibbs could practically see the pieces of the puzzle sliding around, trying to figure out where they fit. "I'm going to talk to them. Tell them that I know what happened, and I'm going to have them talk to Ducky. I'll get him to evaluate them, and take it from there."

"What are you going to do about Kathy?" Gibbs asked, scrutinizing the look on Tony's face, knowing that he had a plan hatching.

"Other than take her job? I'm going to demand that she undergo her own psychiatric evaluation, and possibly sick a social worker on her to make sure her kid doesn't end up as cold and heartless as she is. I haven't decided." Tony's voice was a growl, and Jethro put his hand on Tony's shoulder to calm him a little. "Honestly, it all depends on what Ducky and the guys have to say. I may be able to just let Ducky's evaluation speak for itself, unfortunately. We'll wait and see."

"It's a little scary to think that if all of this hadn't of happened, they would be in the field for another five months without being checked on," Tim said from the phone in front of them. Jethro nodded and Tony looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

Jethro looked at him in mild disbelief. "Tony, case files for new agents get reviewed after they are closed to check on an agent's progress. Vance does a quick read through, but it doesn't evaluate the agents. Every case in your first two years here was evaluated, and _you_ were evaluated. It happens with all agents. That's why we have shrinks in HR. It usually takes them about six months to get to a case. These cases will eventually been seen by the HR head docs, and if we haven't fixed any problems your team has, they might not make it past Probies."

Tony looked at him with aggravation. "You know, Jethro, I'm starting to think Vance was right. You _are_ the bearer of the worst possible news."

"It's not exactly a secret, Tony," Tim added. "Most people know, and with Parke's background, he most definitely knows."

"Hey, McGee. What's Parke's background, anyway. Abby said that he did a lot of profiling, but she never said what for." Jethro realized that he had no idea where Parke had worked before coming to NCIS, and he kicked himself for never asking.

"Uh, let me see." Tim's fingers could be heard clicking on the keys through the phone.

"Well, we know it's not the Feebs. A) Fornell would have said something, and B) I like him, so he couldn't have been a Feeb." Tony's joke make Gibbs crack a smile.

Tim snickered. "Yeah, and he knows how to say your name. Definitely not FBI." That made both Tony and Jethro smile, and look at one another. Their little Probie was all grown up, and his familiar tone with them both was oddly reassuring that everything was on track, despite this chaos.

"Okay. He did his undergrad, doubling in psych and social work at the University of Arizona, and then went to Berkley for the first year of his graduate studies, but transferred to The School of the Rockies when he wanted to focus on Forensic Psych. He worked for the school before he even graduated, working with test studies, and then went to work in the Los Angeles prison system. He was there for two years, met his wife, got married, moved out here. Never took the bar exam to become a licensed psychologist. Guess he has no interest in doing personal therapy." Tim went quiet as he started typing again.

"He went from working in the prison system, to being a federal agent. That's not the biggest jump in the world, but it's pretty big. I wonder why he decided to go for it." Tony said, asking himself more than anyone else.

"Not sure. That's all I can get to right now. His childhood information is really spotty. I don't think he has a birth certificate. I can't find it anywhere."

Jethro's voice joined the fray again. "Doorstep baby. He was born in the early '80's right? All the baby-boomers started having kids around then. There was a while there where they were having a big problem with young, teenage mothers leaving their newborn babies on doorsteps, outside of churches, grocery stores, hospitals… No paperwork on the kids, no information, no notes even. DNA testing wasn't really around then, and there weren't traffic and security cams everywhere like there are now."

Tony realized at that moment that Kelly would be close to Parke's age. The protectiveness over the two men intensified. He was going to have to sit down and talk with the guys. He decided that talking to them individually might be best. "I'm going to ask Parke if he'll go over the Melinda Stafford videos with me, see if he picks up on what I felt like I was picking up on. That will give us a chance to work together and talk. I'll go see Ducky in the morning, and see what he and I can work out about them. For now, I think I just need to go through these case files, curl up in front of the fire, and find enough evidence of their abilities to make sure they are given a fair chance to stand up to the HR reviews."

Gibbs nodded at him in agreement.

"Thanks, Tim. I owe you."

"Don't mention it. Let me know if you need anything else." Tim hung up the phone, and Tony fell back against the couch. Gibbs watched his over-stressed lover's face, and shifted on the couch. He held out his arms, and Tony fell into them. Gibbs laid back against the arm of the couch, and they found themselves back in the same position they had woken up in a few hours earlier. It only took a minute for Tony to fall asleep again in the safety of Jethro's arms.

 _So much for a peaceful day,_ Gibbs thought, softly stroking Tony's back as he let his man sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

Tony was sitting on the floor at the coffee table in the living room with his laptop and the case files spread out before him. Jethro had the fire roaring and crackling as he sat before it grilling a couple of steaks. The silence was comfortable as they both set about their tasks. Tony was compiling a list of successes and positive traits of his agents based on their past cases. He'd contacted Brickerson once he woke up, and they talked for half an hour about Simmons' interaction with Critten and the young agent's talents. He'd made it sound like Critten would one day be able to give McGee a run for his money, and again, he wondered if Tim would be interested in spending some down time working with the kid.

Jethro pulled the steaks out of the fire and plopped them onto a couple of plates he had waiting. He picked them up and headed into the kitchen with them, sitting them on the table. He added two beers from the fridge and silverware. Turning back to the living room, he knelt down on the floor behind Tony, and wrapped his arms around him.

Tony smiled and closed his eyes, taken aback by the sweetness in the embrace.

"Come eat with me. They aren't going anywhere tonight. You've been at it all day." Jethro's voice was quiet in Tony's ear, and Tony realized that he had spent their whole snow day working. He took a deep breath, and closed the file he was working on. He held Jethro's arms to him for a long moment.

"Thanks for everything today. It means a lot to me."

Jethro's only answer was to hold him tighter and kiss his cheek. Tony leaned into his touch, enjoying the security of the solid arms around him.

"Let's eat." Tony slowly shifted to his feet, and Jethro joined him. They headed into the kitchen and sat down to their steaks.

Tony was un-ordinarily quiet, and it had Jethro worried. "You'll get them through this."

Tony looked up at Jethro, startled out of his thoughts. As he let Jethro's words hit him, he smiled a little and took a deep breath. "I don't know how." He shook his head slightly and put his fork down, running his hands through his hair and resting his elbows on the table.

"Hey, look at me."

Tony closed his eyes and then opened them again, turning slightly to look at Jethro.

"You have a way with this kind of stuff. You don't even realize everything you've pulled this team through. Just do what comes naturally. You don't have to try too hard. Be yourself with them. If they're smart, they'll love you as much as we do, and that includes trusting you enough to take care of them."

Tony still didn't look convinced, so Jethro continued.

"When things get stressful, you lighten the mood. When things are confusing, you find a way to put the pieces of the puzzle together. When things are screwed up to hell and back, we all know you have our backs. You naturally just… make things work, make them better." Jethro smiled at Tony, remembering so many moments that he would have gone insane without the younger man on the job with him. "It takes time to get through to people, some longer than others, some sooner, but I know that if anyone can handle this clusterfuck, it's you."

Tony tried to smile, but it was barely a grimace. "I'm glad one of us believes in me."

Jethro stared back at Tony, trying to figure out what would make him feel better. _What does he normally do when he gets in a funk? Movies? Bars?_ That's when it hit him. He put down his fork and stood up, taking Tony's hand, and pulling him to his feet. Tony looked confused, but went with him, hand-in-hand across the kitchen.

Jethro opened the basement door, and led the way down the stairs. Tony followed, breathing deeply as the smell of sawdust hit him. As they approached the work bench, Jethro dumped out two jars of screws, and pulled the bottle of bourbon out from shelf above it. He filled the jars, and handed one to Tony who took it with a curious look, and the faintest smile.

"Jethro? Why are we in the basement?" Tony asked, pleasantly confused by Jethro's sudden change in venue, knowing that he was trying to help somehow.

"I wanted to work on the bench," he said casually, and moved to pick up his sander, checking to make sure the paper on it didn't need changing. "If I am going to send it home with my dad, I need to finish it."

Tony sat down on the sawhorse next to the workbench. "It's beautiful. I didn't realize you were building it for your dad."

"It's for outside of the store. When it's nice out, he'll sometimes sit outside on a slow morning. Someplace for kids to sit with their ice creams and popsicles that they pick up on the way home from school or whatever this spring." Jethro started running his fingers across the wood, looking for the rough patch he was last working on.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Jack, actually. Well, as long as he's okay with everything between us. I'll be able to get all the dirt on you! Stuff I can use to blackmail you into doing my bidding with!" Tony's impish smile was a welcome sight to Jethro. It made him smile back despite himself.

"Good luck with that. I can't think of anything that you can get out of him that is worse than what he can get out of you."

"You mean _I_ am the one with the blackmail material?!" Tony asked incredulously. "Like what? Oh, let me think. This is promising."

Jethro rolled his eyes as he began working his sander back and forth across the side of the bench. He was glad to see Tony snapping out of his serious headspace so easily. So many times, when Tony needed to think about something serious, he had shown up late at night, just sitting on the stairs, watching Jethro sand and drinking his bourbon. It had taken the older man by surprise the first couple of times that Tony had shown up. He wasn't used to Tony's more serious side yet. To watch him in the trenches of deep thought back then had changed the way he saw the younger man. For all of Tony's goofball rambling and his movie rhetoric, he knew the value of silence.

"There's so many possibilities! I don't know where to start!" Tony was on his feet again, pacing in a small circle in front of the work bench.

"Just remember, a good many of those stories have you involved, too," Jethro warned with a smile, stopping his sanding to tip half the jar of bourbon back.

Tony froze. "True. I'm going to have to think this through. I have some time though. Maybe Abby can help me think of some good ones."

Jethro rolled his eyes and shook his head a little, then zoned off into his work. Tony smiled and went to sit on what he had come to know as his spot on the steps. He sat there sipping his bourbon, and watched Jethro's hand move back and forth against the wood of the bench. There was a perfect blend of strength and gentleness in those movements. He knew just how much pressure to put on the sanding block to apply the right force to sand the rough spots away, while keeping the wood even and smooth.

Tony considered how that was pretty much Gibbs' very essence. He knew how to put the pressure on when he needed to, and when to back off when he needed to. He had the perfect blend of force and affection for his team, and it had led them to becoming a tight, loving family over the years. They trusted each other, cared about each other, annoyed each other and frustrated one another. He wondered how he would be able to apply the same principle with Parke and Critten while still being himself.

Jethro had said to be himself, but which self? He'd felt like two different people for so long, trapped in one body. He had his goofball, playful side, and then he had his professional, harder side. The ratio of fun to serious was changing, and it was recreating his image, not only to his teammates and new team, but to himself. He was finally committing himself to a relationship that had taken a lot of courage and liquor to admit that he wanted, and he was taking on the challenge of being a team leader. He had so much serious stuff happening, but it wasn't all bad. If he took Kathy out of the picture, and he didn't think about his promotion so much as losing his old team, but gaining a new team, it was actually pretty good stuff.

He made a decision: he would first, take care of getting his team the help they needed, then get rid of Kathy, then he would celebrate the good stuff. He decided that a housewarming party was in order once he got moved in. He'd get the old team together as friends and family, not as NCIS agents, and have a celebration of all of the good stuff that was happening to them. Maybe they could even do it when Jackson was in town so that he could see everyone.

Tony had hoped to get everything moved over in the next week or so, but the weather didn't want to cooperate. He considered getting the team to help, and then decided against it. They might enlist McGee and maybe even Jimmy to help with some of the heavier furniture, but they didn't need everyone involved. Jethro would probably have a cow if he encouraged the entire team to rummage through their home. He smiled at that thought, and his head leaned back against the wall in a dreamy daze as he watched Jethro's shoulders and arms work the sander over the bench.

Tony licked his lips as he watched Jethro move again and again with the grain of the wood. He wondered if that was what it looked like from the side when he was making love to him. The way his entire body shifted in long strides forwards and backwards over the top of the back of the bench, smoothing out the long piece of wood. It was a series of long, steady strokes and thrusts, pushes and pulls. Tony let the rest of the world go as he watched Jethro sand for about twenty minutes, taking in his movements.

Jethro finally shifted to a more upright position to finish off his jar of bourbon, and saw Tony staring at him with eyes so dark that he could tell from across the room what was on the younger man's mind. There was fire in that gaze, and he felt his breath grow shorter, immediately drawn to it. He sat his sander and jar on the work bench, and moved to where Tony was sitting on the steps. Tony turned, facing Jethro, only to have his legs straddled as Jethro knelt on the step, one leg on each side of him. The older man's hands immediately went to Tony's hair, pulling him in for a deep kiss.

Tony tried desperately to find the air to take a breath, but Jethro had surprised him, and it became clear that unless he did something, he wasn't going to be able to. He reached up and pulled Jethro's head back by his short hair, just enough that the older man gasped. Tony swallowed as much air as he could, panting for a moment, and took in the expression on Jethro's face before pulling him back down to continue the kiss.

Jethro felt himself tremble, lost in the depth of the kiss and the way Tony's hands felt on him as they roamed down his back. Two weeks. They hadn't even been together for two weeks, and yet Jethro felt forever in that touch, felt permanence in Tony's kiss. It was so right, so perfect, and he wondered how it could heal the scars he'd thought he'd have for the rest of his life. He let himself feel all of the love and passion that Tony gave him in their embrace, and he tried to return it fully, frantically needing to convey what he was feeling.

"Upstairs," Tony said, pulling back from the kiss for just a moment.

"Couch," Jethro clarified as he got to his feet, pulling Tony up so that the younger man fell forward against him, and back into the kiss.

Tony broke the kiss again, and pulled Jethro up the stairs by the hand. As soon as they were in the kitchen, Tony had Jethro pushed against the wall, kissing him senseless again. His hands were in Jethro's hair, and his lips and teeth were ravaging Jethro's lips and tongue. Jethro tried to slip his tongue into Tony's mouth, asking for some sort of possession of the kiss, but he knew he didn't have a prayer when Tony began suckling on it in a way that made him moan helplessly.

Tony's hands made their way down into the back of Jethro's jeans and began kneading his ass, making them both groan into the kiss. He started pulling Jethro against him, jerking him in short, forceful motions, then pushing him back against the wall. Jethro tried to continue the rhythm, aching to be pressed against the erection trying to escape Tony's pants, but it was impossible with how Tony had him pinned. He felt himself whine. He knew that if he would only let himself breathe, he'd enjoy every moment of what Tony was doing to him, but he felt his restraint failing him as he struggled not to overpower him.

Tony's lips descended on Jethro's neck and began suckling in a path down to his collarbone. He kissed his way back up, letting his teeth scrape over the tender flesh of Jethro's neck, right where the pulse was strongest. Jethro gasped, fingers digging into Tony's back where his hands were trying to find some way to hold on. He felt Tony's teeth bite down on his shoulder where his neck and collar met, and growled.

Tony's hands found their way up under Jethro's sweatshirt and tee. He needed to feel flesh under his fingers, feel Jethro's skin against him. He ran his fingers over his stomach, returning his lips to Jethro's, and feasting on the taste of the older man, while relishing in the strength of the muscles under his palms.

He nipped at Jethro's lips, and Jethro felt himself losing patience. He growled slightly, and Tony pulled back. "Tell me what you want," he commanded. "I want to hear you say it."

"Tony…" Jethro growled.

Tony shook his head and began to step away. Jethro jerked him back against him so that Tony hummed in pleasure at the possessive way Jethro held him. "Where do you think you're going?" Jethro said into Tony's ear, his voice quiet, raw and lethal.

"If you don't want it enough to tell me, then you don't really want it," Tony said seductively into Jethro's neck, trying to resist kissing him there.

"Do you want me to tell you because you don't know, or do you want me to tell you because you like it when I demand it from you? Is that what you want? An order?"

Tony felt himself shiver at the slight edge in Jethro's voice, loving the use of the "Boss tone". It had a reaction on him that he didn't know how to explain. He'd never been one for taking orders from anyone else. Even with men he had been with in the past, though he'd often let them lead, he'd still never really liked being _told_ what to do. With Jethro, everything was different. He heard _that_ tone to Jethro's voice, and it made him tingle from head to toe with an ache to satisfy his lover.

"You are. You're waiting for me to order you to suck my cock." Jethro's voice was still quiet and low in Tony's ear, making him quiver. "You want me to order you to drop to your knees, take this hard dick out," he took Tony's hand and started rubbing it against the hard bulge in his pants, "and wrap your delicious lips around it."

Tony's head dropped against Jethro's shoulder with a whimper and fervent nod, unable to keep the need to himself. That was exactly what he wanted. He needed for Jethro to take control- to actually _take_ the control from him.

Jethro moaned so low that it rumbled in his chest. He knew that Tony would make this hard for him from the beginning. The way Tony had always followed his every demand, every cue, was a power rush from day one in Baltimore, and there had been many times that he had imagined using that power for this very purpose. Especially after the other night, he knew that he would give in to that power, so freely given, more and more. He realized that Tony wouldn't be following his orders in the office anymore, and this was the trade-off, for better or worse.

He let himself go with it.

"I'm going to go sit on the couch, and by the time I sit down, you'd better be naked on your knees in front of me," he said into his lover's ear. He pushed off the wall as Tony backed away to remove his clothing in record time, leaving it behind him as he followed Jethro into the living room. Jethro unbuttoned his pants and slipped his sweatshirt off as he headed towards the couch, then turned and sat down to find Tony dropping to his knees.

The sight of the naked man in front of him was incredible, and he found himself watching Tony's tongue tracing his lips in anticipation. Jethro leaned forward and took those lips into his mouth in a deep, filthy kiss that left them both breathless. As they pulled barely apart, Jethro let his nose caress Tony's as he whispered through his panting. "I love how eager you are to please me. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it. You've fed the addiction for so long, and now I need more of it than ever before, more of you."

Tony's breath hitched so hard that he could barely make himself breathe again.

Jethro pulled away completely and sat back into the couch as if though it was nothing that Tony was in front of him, waiting to be ordered to suck him off. He absentmindedly unzipped his pants and let his fingers stroke his cock as he pulled it out.

Tony watched as Jethro's hand moved up and down his length, impatiently waiting to replace it. He forced himself to look away and up into Jethro's eyes, which stared straight back at him, watching his every move.

"I shouldn't have to tell you what to do, DiNozzo. You know what needs to be done, now do it!"

Tony jumped at the tone of voice and use of his last name. He had his lips around Jethro's dick in two seconds flat, running his tongue along the vein on the bottom as he took it to the base, making Jethro groan loudly.

"Ahhh… much better." Jethro let his hand run through Tony's hair as he watched Tony swallow him again and again, licking and sucking in all the right ways. He forced himself to breathe deeply as Tony started swirling his tongue around the head in that way that he knew Jethro liked, and then plunging himself back to the base.

Jethro made himself concentrate on Tony instead of what Tony was doing to him. He saw the heat spreading across Tony's neck and upper back as it reddened with the younger man's efforts, and his lips twitched into a brief smile as he noted the bliss on Tony's face when he let a moan of pleasure escape.

"You're incredible, Tony. Shit…" Jethro couldn't keep up the boss persona when Tony brought him so close to the edge. To be in that place with him was too personal for it, and that surprised him. He felt the rush of lightning shooting up his spine and groaned, his grip tightening on Tony's hair and his body tensing. He tried to fight it back, and though he was able to momentarily, it quickly overcame him even harder than he expected. He cried out with his release as Tony swallowed him deeply, taking everything offered to him.

It took Jethro a moment before he realized that Tony's release had engulfed him too, shortly after his own. When Jethro came out of his orgasmic fog, he found Tony's head was on his thigh as the younger man panted. He carded his hand through Tony's thick dark hair, and let his breath settle. "You have no idea what you do to me," Jethro whispered. "None."

Tony shifted so that he could look up into Jethro's blue eyes. His expression asked the question, and with just that look, Jethro felt compelled to answer.

"I'd do anything for you. I _feel_ again because of you, and those feelings are becoming my compass. You…" Jethro shook his head a little, but didn't break eye contact with the green eyes that were burning brightly in front of him. "You're my North. I know that if I'm in the same place that you are, everything is how it should be, and if we're heading in the same direction, it's the right direction. Maybe that sounds ridiculous, but I don't know what I'd do without you now that I've got you. Everything else…" Jethro trailed off, not really sure what to say.

"Everything else suddenly feels okay. As long as we have each other, the rest is okay," Tony finished for him, understanding what he was trying to say, because he felt it too.

"Yeah."

Tony smiled. "That's because it is."

* * *

Tony woke up the next morning ready to do battle. He smelled the coffee brewing downstairs before Jethro, and woke up immediately. His phone hadn't gone off yet, and he reached over to make sure it wouldn't. He looked at the silver head of hair next to him, nuzzled against his shoulder, and felt the strong arm around his chest. He smiled down at his lover and sighed. Nothing was going to bring him down today. Waking up next to Jethro meant only good things could happen, and if anything not-so-good _did_ happen, he knew he would be able to get through it, because he had Jethro. He kissed the top of his lover's head and quietly said, "I love you, Jethro."

Jethro nuzzled into him a little closer, and his arm tightened around Tony. "Mmmm?" Jethro murmured.

"I said, I love you," Tony repeated with a smile in his voice.

"I know. Just like to hear you say it," Gibbs came back with sleepily. He tilted his head so that he could look into Tony's face.

"Well, that's good, because I'm pretty sure it's never going to stop happening."

"'Pretty sure'? How can I make that 'positively sure'?" Gibbs' eyes were shining, and Tony smiled at the thought that there was no one else in the world that would ever see his lover look that that.

"Hmmm. Well, let me think…" Tony said, pretending to consider. Jethro swatted the top of his head and they both laughed. "How about a kiss good morning? I think that's all that's missing."

Jethro smiled sweetly at him, and leaned up for a kiss that started off soft and short. He leaned back in to repeat it, and it went a little deeper, but only deep enough to convey his happiness. He pulled back, and took in the euphoric expression on Tony's face. When Tony's eyes opened, he smiled crookedly at him. "You sure now? _Positively_ sure?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely. I might need to be reminded how sure I am every morning though. And probably every night, while I'm thinking about it," Tony said, nodding with mock seriousness.

"Well, hell. That's too much effort," Gibbs said, just as seriously and moved to get up. Tony pulled him back down, and they laughed together. Tony leaned in for another kiss, and stared down into Jethro's baby blues.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Jethro. I'm so lucky."

Jethro looked at him tenderly, touching his cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without ya, Tony."

"I'm never going to let you find out."

"You promise?" Jethro asked, meaning to be playful, but sounding more insecure than Tony had ever heard him.

Tony felt like the wind had been kicked out of him. He figured if either of them was going to be insecure, it would be himself. "Jethro, I swear- I'm not going anywhere." Tony's voice was serious suddenly, and his eyes honed into Jethro's, letting him know just how much he meant it. "I'm in this for good. Been there through the better and worse so far, and that's never going to change."

Jethro nodded, the words 'better and worse' reminding him of his near faux pas the day before. He wanted to ask Tony if he would be willing to promise it in front of their people, but he knew that was stupid. The look that Tony was giving him alone proved that he meant what he said. He couldn't say anything. He just pulled Tony down on top of him, holding him close for a long minute while they listened to each other breathe.

Finally, the smell of coffee drove him crazy enough to let go and start their morning. Tony headed for the shower while Jethro headed for the kitchen.

Tony let the water run over him a minute while he thought about what he had just said to Jethro. _What is it going to take for him to believe me?_ he wondered. He thought about it as he finished his shower and got dressed. Jethro came upstairs, mug in hand, and gave Tony a quick kiss as he passed him and headed to the shower. Both men were smiling like fools, and Tony relished in their mutual happiness. He decided that they needed a genuine date-night that weekend, and headed down the stairs with a bounce in his step.

He found a mug of coffee already poured and doctored to his liking on the counter, and felt the warmth in the pit of his stomach that told him he was home. It was still a new concept for him. He didn't miss his apartment at all. He never wanted to spend the night there again. He started thinking about his TV going in the living room, and his bed replacing the old one in the guest bedroom. He'd slept on that bed many times after too much bourbon, and he was well aware that it had more lumps than the couch. He realized that Jackson would at least appreciate _that_ change when he came to visit.

His mind started wandering to what that day ahead of him was going to be like. He knew that he would need to talk to Ducky as soon as possible about Parke and Elly. He was going to have to go through their reports with them, do his own, and then find a way to steal Parke for the Stafford videos without too much interaction with Simmons. He started making a mental list of everything that he had to do as he located the cereal bars he had brought over the other day.

Jethro came into the kitchen and headed for the coffee pot, running his hand across the small of Tony's back as he went by. "Whatcha looking for?"

"Those breakfast bar things," he answered, looking in another cabinet.

"Oh, cabinet above the fridge." Jethro watched as Tony reached up and found the box, and smiled.

Tony grabbed a bar out, and slipped the box back into the cabinet. He placed a quick peck on Jethro's lips with a chipper, "Thanks!"

"You're in a good mood this morning," Jethro commented.

Tony nodded. "Why, yes, I am! Got a whole new outlook on things today."

Jethro gave him a questioning look, and a raised eyebrow.

"See, I've got a plan, and it's going to go my way for once. I feel it!" Tony sucked down some of his coffee, and took a bite of his breakfast.

Jethro smiled and shook his head. He didn't want to say it, but he knew the likelihood of anything going according to plan. It never did for their team. That doesn't mean that it would turn out badly, but it just wouldn't go the way they thought it would.

" _Don't even think it!"_ Tony said emphatically. "Don't do that. I know what you're thinking, and _this time,_ it's going to be just fine, at least if you don't jinx the shit outta me first."

Jethro chuckled, and took another drink of his coffee. "Okay. I'm not thinking anything. Nothing at all."

"That's better." They drank the rest of their coffees down, and Tony looked at his watch. He normally wouldn't leave yet for work, but things were changing, and he was definitely seeing the benefit to being there an hour before everyone else. "You ready?" he asked.

Jethro had watched Tony checking his watch with interest. He was going to wait a little longer to leave because he knew that Tony wasn't used to getting into work as early as he liked to. It was interesting to watch this most recent development in Tony's professionalism. He knew Tony could come in at all hours of the night, but if he didn't stay through the night, he was almost never the first one there, and the most likely person on the team to be late. _But he's not on the team anymore,_ Jethro corrected himself. _He's leading a team now. Things will just keep changing from here._

"Yeah. Let's head out. The roads looked cleared when I checked earlier, but you never know, might need the head start." Jethro poured himself another cup of coffee in a to-go cup before going to slipping his coat on. Tony had already slipped his black trench coat on, and watched Jethro slip his own on over his jacket and dark red polo. Jethro looked down at himself in exasperation, waiting for a comment about his wardrobe. "What?"

"Nothing. Just taking in the view." Tony winked at him, and leaned in for a kiss that was late on the return, mostly because of the sudden surprise Jethro felt at the compliment. All he could do was smile and shake his head as Tony turned and left him standing in the doorway.

Tony let Jethro drive, only because his car was the one in the driveway closest to the road. The roads were pretty clear, but occasionally slick. Jethro wasn't in too much of a rush to get in, enjoying being alone with his partner while they could still be themselves.

"What's the plan for today?" he asked Tony, who was fiddling with his phone.

"Ducky, then reports, then I'm going to see about hijacking Parke for a look at the Melinda Stafford videos. If that doesn't give me the opportunity to talk to him about what happened on the North Ridge case, then I'm going to have to pull them both aside, and find time to talk to them today." Tony tapped his phone against the palm of his hand as he looked out the window, thinking about how he'd break it to Parke that they had snooped into his and Critten's past. He figured that Parke would have expected it to some degree, but seeing as Simmons hadn't done a thorough enough background on them, he might think it's par for the course.

"What are you going to do if Ducky decides that they aren't able to be in the field?" Jethro asked quietly.

"I think that all depends on Ducky's reasons, his time frames, his overall discoveries. If they aren't able to be in the field at all, which I honestly don't think will happen, then I'm going to have my hands full, because I'll be team-less. If only one of them is allowed in the field, then the other will probably be bitter towards me. That might be even worse. I'm really hoping for the better outcomes. Maybe a little counseling time or something to help work through the messed up way things were handled, and making sure they are properly trained so that our asses are safe out in the field." Tony's voice started going bitter as he thought about how ridiculous Simmons' idea of training was.

Jethro's voice broke through to Tony's common sense. "What are you going to do about training?"

Tony considered for a second. "I'd love it if Critten could work with McGee on some stuff. Both of them are welllll beyond me technologically, and I know that Critten could definitely learn from some of Tim's techniques."

Jethro nodded. "As long as it doesn't interfere, I don't care. McGee is going to need to be trained on SFA duties from time to time. Figure I'll get him to bug you about it when you don't have cases. Hell, I haven't looked at half of those forms since the kid joined the team. I doubt I'd even recognize them anymore."

"I expected that. Ziva and Parke seemed to get along pretty well. Maybe I'll schedule some time for him to work on his fighting skills with her. Critten has some fighting background, but I have no idea what his range scores are. I'm going to have to dig for those and basically… I think I'm going to just start from the ground up, see what they know along the way, and plan from there. I have no idea what they were and weren't able to piece together on their own." Tony shook his head a little, but then smiled and looked over at Jethro as they pulled into the lot at work. "Doesn't matter. They're going to be all mine come Monday, and I will make sure they're ready."

Jethro smiled that half-smile at Tony, and flashed his badge at the newbie at the gate as he drove by. He thought about how Tony had immediately considered McGee and Ziva for training. He wondered how long it would be before the two newbies were part of their little family. He got an idea, and he wondered if it would go against the rule he had put in place to not give advice until asked. He decided that it was more of an offer than advice, and so as he parked, he threw it out there.

"Your guys can hang out with us next week if you want. That way you can break McGee in, and they can all get to know each other, and I can get to know them, and maybe see where we can help fill in their gaps." Jethro turned the car off, and looked over at Tony to find the younger man staring back at him with a genuine smile.

"I might take you up on that, at least for a day or two. I don't want them to think that I want them to be exactly like our team, because I don't. They are both completely different people than McGee and Ziva, but it wouldn't be bad for either of them to have a mentor of sorts, and could be good for McGee and Ziva. I'd still want them coming to me with most of their questions, but to have someone on their same level to ask stuff of would be nice." Tony shrugged. "I mean, I have you, so why not let them have each other? It's not like I would go to Vance with questions when I needed advice, I'd come to you. Sometimes there are just certain things you'd rather have someone on your own level to talk to about."

Jethro considered that for a moment. "I don't ever remember you going to someone else for advice."

Tony smiled and looked away, shrugging. "I didn't. At least not very often."

"Why not?"

Tony turned back to Jethro. "I learned early on that working for you isn't like working on the other teams. I couldn't have done things the way they did them and lived to tell about it. But I learned from you, and my team will be learning from me, so they'll learn to do things the way I learned to do them. They are second generation, I guess you can say. They will actually have someone to go to that won't teach them the wrong way, people who know how to do it the way I'll expect them to do it."

Jethro shook his head, and smirked as he got out of the car. Tony followed him, and they walked side by side to the elevator. They waited in comfortable silence, and then got on alone.

"Are you sitting with us today?" Jethro asked quietly, suddenly thinking about what it would be like to have Tony behind him at another desk instead of across from him in his usual spot.

Tony's neck popped as he turned his head to look at Jethro, hearing the sad undertone in his voice. "Probably a little of both," he said quietly. "That's going to be weird, huh?"

Jethro looked over at Tony's concerned green eyes and nodded, turning away. Tony reached forward and flipped the switch quickly, before the elevator doors could open. "You ready for this?" he asked as Jethro looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, DiNozzo." Jethro reached for the switch, and Tony grabbed his hand. Jethro glared at him, and Tony shook his head, entwining their fingers.

"Those doors haven't opened yet. I'm still Tony. I'm not asking you as my Boss, I'm asking you as your partner. Don't shut me out." Tony's tone let Jethro knew that he had crossed a line there, and he knew that that sort of thing was exactly what his partner was sensitive to. He wasn't good at combining his personal and professional lives, at least not intentionally. According to Ducky, he'd managed to do it without meaning to, but this was different. He took a deep breath, and made himself look Tony in the eye.

"It's one of those things I'll just have to get used to, Tony," he said, making sure to call Tony by his first name.

"Okay. Just promise me that you won't push me away in the process." Tony's eyes were pleading for the reassurance that Jethro knew he had to offer.

"I promise that I'll try. You might need to remind me from time to time, but I'll try my best." Jethro squeezed Tony's hand.

Tony smiled, and an idea hit him. "You know the whole safe word concept? I think we can apply it here. When you start being an ass for no reason at work, I'm going to use a special word to let you know that you're forgetting who you're talking to."

Jethro's eyebrows rose. "Oh, really? And what word have you decided on?" Jethro felt himself pulling Tony closer to him, unable to stay away at the thought of the other night, and their need for the safe word discussion.

"For work? I think it's going to be "decaf"," Tony answered with a smirk. A bark of a laugh escaped Jethro before he could stop himself, and his forehead fell against Tony's as he chuckled. Tony smiled broadly, and leaned in for a quick kiss. Jethro obliged, and Tony was surprised as the older man deepened it. When they pulled apart, both a bit winded by the intensity of the kiss, Jethro asked, "Have you decided on your other safe word yet?"

"Nope. Still thinking."

Jethro leaned forward a little more, and put his lips to Tony's ear. "Think harder."

Tony bit his lower lip. "You're evil, you know that?"

Jethro smirked, and flipped the elevator's switch before stepping apart from Tony. The lift settled onto their floor, and Tony smirked. "That's okay. I'm wearing the tie from the other night." He flashed Jethro a seductive glance as the doors opened, and was pleased to find his lover's expression reflected his own just a moment before. He stepped out and headed for his desk, not looking back to make sure he was being followed.

He dropped his backpack on the floor in its usual spot, and thought for a fleeting moment that it was probably the last time he would drop it there. Then, he took off his coat and hung it up before sitting down and booting up his computer. Jethro was at his own desk doing the same when Tony looked up at him. Jethro's eyes met his for a moment, and he turned away, shaking his head and smiling. Tony tried not to laugh, and smiled at his computer screen as he breezed through the emails in his inbox.

When he had replied to the only two he found important, he locked down the computer, grabbed the files he needed, and headed for the staircase to go see Ducky. He understood where Jethro was coming from in the elevator. Yeah, it was going to be weird for them to change things that were so ingrained into their day to day patterns, like where Tony sat, clearing leaving the bullpen with Jethro, and inevitably, the way that he automatically got to his feet every time he heard the words "Gear up!" He knew that was going to be a _really_ hard habit to break. He also suspected that it was going to hurt to watch his old team take off without him.

He tried not to think about that as he walked through the autopsy doors to find Ducky just flipping on the light switches. "Good morning, Ducky."

"Ahh, Anthony! Yes, it seems to be so far, doesn't it? I consider any day that I'm not coming in here expecting a silent visitor a good morning. What can I do for you?" Ducky was almost as cheerful as Tony has been when he woke up.

"I need your help. The head kinda help, not the dead kinda help." Tony moved to sit next to Ducky's desk. and the older man joined him.

"Has Jethro started causing trouble already?" Ducky joked.

"Already? Ducky, he started scrambling my head ten years ago. Finally scrambled it enough, I guess." He smiled broadly at the older man, and got one in return.

"I really am glad to see you both so happy, Anthony. You both mean a great deal to me, and I am happy you've found what you need in one another." Ducky's tone let Tony know that he'd been giving this some serious consideration.

"Thanks, Ducky."

"I assume that you aren't here to talk about the two of you if you are bringing me cases to look at," Ducky said, looking at the stack that Tony was leaning on.

"Nope. Afraid not. We discovered something when going through the case files that explains the bond between Critten and Parke. I also had a little chat with Kathy Simmons the other night, and decided that even if I'm not in charge of the team in a year, neither will she. She hasn't done anything to train either of them, and she left Critten alone at a very crucial moment, that should have been handled much differently." Tony opened the case file from the North Ridge case and began to explain the situation, and what it said in both men's psych evals.

Ducky listened closely, his bright disposition changing to one of grave distaste for the woman in charge, and concerned compassion for the two agents. "So you would like for me to speak to them, get their takes on the situation, and see how they are coping with it now," he asked.

"Yeah. I need to make sure they are okay to be in the field. I don't care if they need some couch time, some leave time, whatever Duck, I just need to make sure that they are okay." Ducky nodded. "They are going to be great agents. I want them to have their chance to prove that, to channel their pasts into something good, something fulfilling. There's relief in that, ya know?"

Ducky watched Tony talk about Critten and Parke, but heard some of Tony's own story in there as well. He knew that Tony's past gave him fuel for the work he did, and that passion shone vibrantly at times. He saw the potential Tony spoke of in both of the newer agents, and wanted to do his part to help them find that place as well. "I'll do what I can to sort this out, Anthony. We'll keep it off the record unless it needs to become on the record, so to speak."

"Thanks, Ducky. I really want them to be happy here. It would be our loss if they left." Tony stood up, and took the case files. "I'll get copies of these to you by this afternoon."

"Anthony? How are you handling the change in command so far?"

Tony shrugged, and sat back down. "It's a whirlwind. Everything is spinning around so fast, but… it feels right. Strange, uncomfortable at times, but I have a feeling that everything is happening how it should. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it all, but I'm going to try to be. Jethro though… he seems to be going back and forth. He told me the other day that he's not letting me back on the team- that I'm where I belong. Then, this morning, he seemed to shut down at the mere idea that I'm not going to be sitting at my old desk much longer. He snapped out of it with a little talking, but we're not always so great at the talking stuff. I'm going to need you to keep your ears open for me, just make sure he's, ya know, okay."

Ducky nodded. "I've learned that the key to understanding Jethro, is that you watch just as much as you listen, simply because there's not usually much to listen to. When there is though, it is usually worth the patient wait. I think you probably can read him better than anyone, and that was before the relationship came to light. You know where I'm at if you need me."

"I'm more concerned with him being willing to ask when he needs to." Tony stared off into space for a moment as he remembered the change Jethro took in the elevator before he had flipped the emergency switch.

Ducky nodded, and smiled thinking about the phone call he had received the day before. "You'd be surprised in the influence you've had on him already."

Tony looked at him with a curious look, trying to decipher the cryptic message and smile. "I'd never ask you to break his confidence, but is there something I should know?"

"Just that he loves you dearly, and he isn't going anywhere."

Tony nodded, accepting the answer with a smile. "Thanks again, Duckman. Gotta go." Tony scooped the files up off the desk again, and headed for the elevator.

Ducky watched him leave, and shook his head at the bounce he saw in Tony's step. He considered Jethro's dilemma from the day before, and wondered how long it would take for Tony to catch on. His old friend had been down the aisle more times than most, but he had a feeling that this time, it would stick, and that made him immensely happy.

Jethro was sitting at his desk, drinking his coffee, and writing up his report on the Americana case. He heard the elevator opening and looked up, expecting Tony to be coming back from autopsy, but saw Parke and Critten emerge together instead. Rather than head towards their section of the bullpen, where Simmons was working on something silently at her desk, they headed for Tony's desk.

"Good morning, Agent Gibbs," Parke greeted with a small smile.

Gibbs nodded in reply, looking at him questioningly.

"Is Agent DiNozzo going to be back soon?" he asked.

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah. Had to go talk to Dr. Mallard. He should be back soon, if you two would like to wait for him." He knew why they were staying away from their side of the bullpen, and decided to throw them a bone. He wasn't looking forward to watching the showdown that would inevitably take place between Tony and Kathy, and delaying it until after the reports were finished was probably a good idea.

"Thanks," Parke said, setting his bag down in front of Tony's desk, and turning to Critten who was shifting nervously, and looking past Gibbs to Kathy, who hadn't turned around greet them.

Gibbs turned back to the report he was working on, but only half worked as he listened to Parke and Critten chatting quietly.

"Did you tell Tiff what this last one entailed when you talked to her this morning?" Critten asked quietly, setting his own bag on the ground.

"Very little. I'm not sure what would be too much. Hell, I'm not even sure where this kind of information would fall clearance-wise. I wouldn't want to start talking, and let the wrong thing slip out," Parke said with a tiny chuckle.

"That's true. I never talked to anyone about what I was working on when I was with the taskforce. Most of the time that was because it would bore the shit out of them, but this isn't exactly the kind of stuff you talk to someone about on a date. My dad and brother, now _they_ would probably love to know about it."

Gibbs snuck a look as Critten rolled his eyes at the mention of his dad and brother. He tried not to smile. He knew what it was like in military families. Shop talk became the only talk if you weren't careful. He'd seen it happen plenty of times, and often gotten the picture that it was the same kind of thing McGee was put through by his own father. _Tony's right, they're going to get along well,_ he decided.

Tony made his way through the bullpen, keeping his cool, and not making eye contact with Kathy as he went by. Instead, he smiled broadly at the two men waiting at his desk, bags at their feet. "There's the dynamic duo, now!" he greeted. "You guys ready to dig into your reports?"

"Actually started on them yesterday, and we have a couple of questions," Critten said, reaching into his bag for his folder.

It wasn't lost on Tony that Critten had implied that they had been working together, but he let it go for the time being. "Shoot."

"Do you want me to include the room being bugged by the CIA?" Critten asked, pencil in hand as he flipped through his folder.

"Oh, yeah. We have a long history of them not playing nice with us. Definitely document it. Did I ever tell you the CIA blew up my Mustang? Bastards." Tony sat at his desk and made sure there weren't any new emails before bringing up the files from the case on his thumb drive. "Worst possible timing, too. Really messed up. Anytime we get the chance to reveal their dirt, we do."

Parke looked at Critten, and nodded, apparently acknowledging confirmation of something said in a previous discussion between them. "Got it. I'll write it up," Critten said, scribbling on his folder.

"When I was working with Dr. Mallard, I talked to a lot of people. None of them really stood out, and most of them confirmed the rate of travel for the ship at the time it was supposed that the lifeboat went over the edge. How many of them do I document, and how? Do you want me to list names along with the general description of the information, or do you just want me to give a couple of direct accounts of information from some of the ranking officers I talked to…?" Parke's voice trailed off.

"You'll want to talk about the first person to give you the details, and then whoever you spoke to that would be in the best position to verify the information. You said that that you talked to someone who watched the video over and over again to try to find the time the lifeboat disappeared, right?" Parke nodded. "So you'll give his account, and then possibly one other person you talked to that would have worked in the control tower at the time that would be able to verify the speed." Both Parke and Critten were scribbling furiously on their folders when McGee and Ziva walked in together.

They all shared pleasant "Good mornings," and "Hellos," and took their seats. Parke snagged the chair from behind the partition on the end, and rolled it up to Tony's desk as Tony worked on his report, asking his questions. Critten and McGee struck up a conversation about how to report the form of tracking they had used for the CIA's bugs. There was a nice steady buzz in their side of the bullpen as they worked.

Ziva was listening to Tony and Parke rehashing some of the case, and put her point of view out there for a couple of things. Critten and Tim were deep in conversation about the different types of audio bugs that were being released, and what they were capable of. After a lengthy explanation of the type of bug they were working with, Critten asked McGee, "So, should I put all of that in the file?"

Simultaneously, Gibbs and Tony both shouted, "No!" Everyone from the old team laughed, remembering how many times McGee had to redo his first dozen reports because of the technical jargon, and about how aggravated Gibbs had been with him. He had a sudden relapse during the jet-pack case, and Ziva had gotten to see it first hand for herself.

McGee gentled the startled Critten back to Earth. "The basics only in the report itself. You can include the more technical stuff, if necessary, in an appendix. That's only if it's something that people will need to know if for some reason the file has to be revisited, or if it will be essential evidence in court. Obviously, I learned this the hard way."

"Listen to McGeek there Probie. I may understand a lot more of the mumbo-jumbo than Gibbs, no offense Boss, but I'm not breaking out a dictionary to make it through your reports. If jurors won't comprehend it, don't put it in there." Tony gave Critten a brief smile before turning back to his own report.

Gibbs suddenly felt eyes on him and looked up to find Vance staring at them from the railing. Gibbs stared back until Vance nodded at him and turned to walk away. He'd told Vance that he'd need to watch Tony with the guys in order to really get a feel for how things were unfolding, and apparently, he'd seen what he needed to. Gibbs smiled to himself as he went back to his report, listening now and then to the discussions going on around him.

Critten had settled in next to Tony on the floor against the filing cabinet, his laptop in his lap and his folder on the floor next to him. He had a lot more experience with this kind of direct reporting than Parke did, so most of the questions he asked were more case related. Tony worked through his own report as the men asked him their questions.

After about half an hour of silence went by as all six agents worked on their reports, everyone was startled out of the revelry by a woman clearing her throat. Six heads turned to look at Kathy Simmons as she stood at the head of the bullpen by the window. Gibbs was giving her the death glare, Tim was doing his best impression at doing the same, Critten ducked his head back into his folder, Ziva looked at all of the other agents, realizing that she was missing something, and Parke stared back with an indecipherable blank stare that Tony would have bet good money would be the same stare the youngest agent would have used when doing psych profiles on inmates- blank and calculating all at the same time.

Tony himself gave the woman his fakest, most dangerous smile. "What can we do for you, Agent Simmons? We're trying to finish up our reports."

"Just wondering why the guys weren't doing that at their desks," she said with all of the condensation of a Boy Scout den mother.

"Since this kind of case was new to both of them, I wanted them close so I could assist as questions arose. Sticky, twisted cases call for clear and concise reports if we want to make sure the bad guys get put away for good. With no room for errors, we're working together to make sure it's done correctly." Gibbs wanted to smile at the way his lover and former SFA was managing to make the obvious sound friendly and menacing at the same time. Looking at the woman though, he easily held that smile in his mind while fixing his icy glare on her.

Tim stared at Simmons, his own expression lightening at bit at Tony's snarky undertone. He thought about his own father's condescending tone, and how often it was turned on him. He hated that tone, and was glad to see Tony using his own to put her in her place. He couldn't imagine having been under her when he had thought he'd shot a cop, or had to help Sarah get out of trouble. Knowing what he knew about the woman now, he could see that she had no real heart in her eyes.

He knew that he had gotten better at reading people over the years from watching Gibbs and Tony, and then trying to see what they saw, but he couldn't remember ever having a conversation with Simmons that didn't involve passing the cream for the break room coffee. Now that he had the moment to observe her, he saw not only the heartlessness, but the nervous way that she stood when Tony addressed her, which was different than he had ever seen her. He wondered if it would be too much to dig into her file and see if she had issues with her father, or maybe an older brother. She was definitely intimidated by Tony, and yet not at all intimidated by Parke and Critten.

Critten buried his head in his file, trying not to be seen. He swallowed hard, and inwardly stood his ground, fighting the urge to get up from the floor and head over to his desk where it was obvious that Kathy thought he should be. He had to tell himself that Tony was his boss now, and Kathy wouldn't be able to say or do anything to change that since today would be her last day as his team leader. He felt like he could trust Tony, and though he didn't understand why, he generally found his instincts to be correct about such things.

Parke studied every movement of Kathy's body. As he first noticed her, by the noise she made clearing her throat, he watched her try to appear confident and in command, forcing it a little too much, revealing her nervousness, and causing that weird tick she had to surface, where she rubbed her knuckles over her elbow as she crossed her arms. Her smile was also forced, phony and plastic, but more so than usual. Everything she did let him know that she was there to remind them that she was still in charge, even if only for a handful of hours, and that she would one day be in charge again. He was determined to not let that happen.

Tony stared up at Kathy, his smile just as bogus, and even more sinister. "Today is the monthly team lunch. I was going to invite the guys to join us since it's my last lunch as a team member. You're more than welcome to join us. This month we've decided on Herman's Seafood. I haven't been there, but I've heard their crab is awesome." They had absolutely no plans for lunch, but everyone caught on to Tony's ploy immediately. Ziva was used to following Tony's lead in these kinds of situations when they had talked to family and friends of victims to find answers, and after feeling the room drop ten degrees as Kathy had interrupted their reports, she knew that the other woman was the source of their discontentment. She offered Kathy a smile, and if the other woman didn't know that it was in pity at having earned the loathing of such a formidable group, it was her own problem.

Tony, being over-diligent in his report reading the day before, had poured over Kathy's history as well. She was allergic to shellfish, so he knew she'd have to decline the invite to Herman's. She couldn't even be around it. Critten knew of the allergy, and he smiled to himself as he worked on his report. He had felt his back tighten at the idea of having to sit through lunch with his former and new bosses, but hearing the locale had made him suddenly giddy.

Kathy frowned. "Thanks, but I can't get around shellfish. If I even touch something that has the oils on it from cross contamination, I'll be in the ER all night." Kathy scrunched up her nose at the thought, and Parke decided that was the first genuine reaction he had ever seen out of her.

"Well, maybe next time then." Tony dismissed her by turning to Critten, and asking him whether or not he had re-written his description of the bug tracking. On his cue, everyone else in the room went back to work, breaking into small discussions that didn't include Kathy. Parke asked Ziva which wall she had found the embroidery on that had the website taped to the back of, and Gibbs checked in with McGee on his progress.

Once the room was buzzing with activity again, Tony felt Kathy's presence drift away, and he shook his head to himself. Critten caught his eye for a long moment, and nodded before turning back to his report. Tony smiled as he went back to work on the computer. _Maybe there's hope for me yet,_ he thought, stealing a glance at Parke who stole one back with a smirk and silent chuckle. _Yeah, maybe a little bit._


	24. Chapter 24

Gibbs watched Tony interacting with his new agents, and tried not to see the down side of it all. Tony deserved this, at least the good parts of this, and he was going to work hard not to do anything to cast a shadow on it for him. He finished his report, and seeing that McGee and Ziva were still going to need a little bit of time, got to his feet.

He passed Tony's desk with a small smile, telling his people that he was going to go remind Abby and Ducky about their lunch. The undercover looks that darted around the room at one another, elicited stifled chuckles. Tony simply smirked as he stared into his monitor, working on his report. He loved his team- both of them.

Gibbs headed for the coffee cart outside, braving the cold and icy sidewalks for his caffeine fix. His mind was on the way Tony had slipped right into the role as team leader yet again, taking the reins, and leading his guys right to where they belonged.

He considered the other surprise of the morning. His new SFA was working well with Critten, and from what Gibbs could tell outside of the technical jargon, was doing a really great job at training him. Gibbs had never really thought of Tim as the type to train anyone, but he could now see the potential there that he hadn't seen before.

He paid for his coffee, thinking about how this was a lot more than a new door opening for his team. _Everything_ was changing, from their inner relationships, to their work statuses, and it was revealing an entirely new world to Gibbs. He felt like he was waking up to all of the possibilities that lay before him and his team, and in the bigger picture, his family. The barista handed him his cup, and he noticed the decaf coffee dispenser. He paused for the slightest moment before turning, and smiled broadly as he headed for the building.

He was surprised at the way Tony had stepped in that morning in the elevator. He had managed to shut down Gibbs' frustration, working through the inner turmoil that had suddenly hit him. _Decaf,_ he thought, shaking his head the tiniest bit. He wasn't sure how Tony had turned the tension he was feeling into a happy and seductive conversation. He knew then that Tony, very surprisingly, had the upper-hand on the knowledge about what it was going to take to keep their relationship stable. Gibbs was notorious for pushing people away, and Tony had seen that minute sign that it was starting, and had shut it down immediately. Gibbs hadn't even been aware that he was doing it, and yet Tony had jumped right on it.

He had gotten Abby's CafPow, and was almost to her lab when he stopped in his tracks to finish the train of thought going through his head. He wasn't going to come through this the same, and he was confused about how he felt about that. He realized that Tony was going to shut that kind of disconnection down as often as possible, which meant Gibbs wouldn't be able to keep his distance from him, and if he couldn't put space between him and Tony anymore, he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to keep it up between him and anyone else on his team, or in his life, either. That lack of disconnection was already filtering outside of their relationship.

Examples of this flew through his mind at lightning speed, from his slight relinquishes to Vance, to inviting Parke and Critten to wait in the bullpen, and the way he had opened up about the idea of proposing with Ducky, reaching out for advice and support. He was changing, and he thought it should scare him, that he should feel aggravated, angry even, but he wasn't. He'd always assumed that if he ever got to this place in his life, it would be a resignation of sorts. As he finally walked into Abby's lab, and saw her happy smile as she turned towards him, he knew that his family had slipped under his skin without him knowing, and he'd been surrendering in little bits over the past ten or eleven years. Now, he would do anything to hang on to those people, and the good things they made him feel. This wasn't resignation, it was acceptance, and he was floored to find that it made him happy.

"Hi, Gibbs! Is that for me?" Abby said, bounding up to him to take the CafPow he handed her.

"Nah, Abs. I decided to quit drinking coffee, and give this crap a try." Gibbs smiled at her as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, well then, in that case…" she said, taking the cup of coffee, and slipping the CafPow in its place before turning back towards her computer.

Gibbs shook his head and switched the cups back, fighting down the chuckle that wanted to escape his chest.

"Abs, we're having lunch today. My team, Tony's team, you, and hopefully Ducky and Palmer."

Abby turned and looked at Gibbs as he leaned forward on her counter, drinking from his coffee while looking up at her. She couldn't remember ever seeing Gibbs leaning forward like that on her desk, and wondered if he was okay. "What's the occasion?" she asked suspiciously.

Gibbs looked up at the doorway, straightening himself, and motioning for Abby to head back into her office with him. She locked her computer quickly, and followed him, pushing the button for her door to close as they sat down to talk. "I take it McGee told you what we found out had happened with Tony's new team."

"You mean that cold-hearted bitch leaving poor Critten standing there with a flashback, and trying to keep Parke and him from going after the killer because she's too stupid and stubborn to listen to anything anyone else suggests, because she's trying too damned hard to be Ms. Perfect?"

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, that."

Abby smiled at him. "Yeah, he told me. Why? What's up? Do you need my services?"

Gibbs smirked at her attitude. _That's my girl,_ he thought. "No, but I like the way you think."

Abby took the compliment with pride, and she beamed at him.

"She interrupted Tony and the guys going over their reports for the Americana, and he did a pretty good job of telling her off without needing us to step in. We're all going to lunch though, without her."

Abby looked at him questioningly. "Without her? Let me guess, he did that thing where he invites her, but let's her know she's not really welcome?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Gibbs chuckled, wondering where Abby had heard him use the ploy before.  
"We're going to Herman's, and she's got-"

"A shellfish allergy! He's a genius! See, she worked a case last year where she ended up going through this dumpster…" she paused for a moment, wondering when Gibbs was going to cut her off. When she didn't get the expected, 'Abs…' warning that she was waiting for, she continued. "And she ended up coming into contact with some crab legs, and had to go to the ER. Gibbs, what's up with you?"

Gibbs sat up startled, and instinctively looked at his coffee cup before looking back the goth, as if uncertain of what he was being asked. "What do you mean?"

"You seem… different… today. Not a bad different, just different, like you know, more relaxed than normal, but not that happy, bubbly relaxed like you just got laid relaxed, but more like the-"

"Abs!" Gibbs barked.

"Ahh! That's more like it! There you are. So what's up? Everything good with you and Tony?"

"Yeah, Abs. Everything is great with me and Tony." Gibbs smiled at her, and took a drink of his coffee.

"Did you guys enjoy your snow day yesterday?" she asked with a sassy smirk.

"We spent most of the day going through case files. Not exactly what I had planned, but it all turned out well in the end." Gibbs realized how that sounded and stopped, trying to decide if he should try to backpedal. He saw the expression on Abby's face and groaned, causing her to bust out laughing.

"I'm really happy for you guys, Gibbs. Not just for the _total_ hot factor, but because, ya know, Tony's my best friend next to Tim, and you… well… you're the closest thing I have to… well… you know… and I've always wondered if you were ever going to… if you were ever going to let yourself be happy again, Gibbs." Abby had begun ringing her hands as she talked, unable to break eye contact with the softening blue eyes in front of her as she rambled. "I really want you to be happy, Gibbs. Are you happy?"

Gibbs smiled, and pulled Abby into a hug, kissing her cheek. "I'm very happy, Abs," he whispered into her ear. "So, very happy."

Abby hugged him back hard, letting the words sink in. Neither of them had a very stable relationship history, and Abby knew that if Gibbs could be happy with someone again, then maybe she could be happy, too.

Gibbs held on tightly to Abby. He imagined that if Kelly had lived, she would have encouraged his happiness as well. Abby was the closest thing he had to a daughter now, and he had often wondered if she would ever find someone to be happy enough with to settle down. "Are you happy, Abs?" he suddenly asked, not sure how the words escaped without even thinking about them.

She stepped back, but not completely out of his arms, so that she could look into his eyes. "I am. I'm not about to walk down the aisle yet or anything, but I'm happy. I think Tim is, too. And you know he would _never_ do anything to hurt me, right?"

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, I know Abs. Let me know if you ever get to the 'down the aisle' part?" he asked, suddenly envisioning himself giving the younger woman away.

Abby reached back into the hug, arms wrapped tighter around Gibbs than before, realizing what he was saying. "Love you, Gibbs."

Gibbs swallowed hard. "You, too, Abs." They finally pulled out of each other's embrace, and Gibbs reached for his coffee sitting on Abby's desk.

"You think you guys will ever, ya know, get married?" Abby asked.

Gibbs halted mid-drink. He tried to play if off, but he knew Abby was as observant as any of his agents on a good day with a boring topic, and other people's relationships were her special interest. There was no way she wouldn't catch his hesitation. He chuckled to himself, and took a deep gulp from his cup. "Can you ever see Tony getting married?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, as if though the concept were the most ridiculous idea ever.

"You've already thought about it," Abby said. It wasn't a question, it was a statement, and Gibbs stared straight into Abby's eyes, wondering how much she had read off of him. "And yes, I could see Tony getting married- to you. Gibbs! He's never been like this! I've known him for more than ten years, and I've never known him to be like he's been the past couple of weeks. He's a whole different person! All of the best pieces of him, all of that good stuff that he never lets anyone see? It's all right there on top now, and you did that!"

Gibbs tried to glare at her, but he knew that it wasn't working.

"He told me one time that you made him a better person. He said that you were his beacon when he was trying to decide if he should leave the police force in Baltimore. He told me that Danny had been dirty, but you had let him know that there were people that lived with integrity still. He said that when you called him down here, he was hoping you'd talk him into staying on the force, and when he showed up, and you offered to bring him on board here at NCIS, he knew that this was where he belonged, because you were here, and you'd keep him honest. He had never had anyone believe in him like that Gibbs, to make him feel like he was worthy of being trusted, taught, held to the higher standard. He wanted to be more, and you let him You and I both know what that means to him."

Gibbs watched Abby as she rambled. He felt himself turning inward, thinking about waking up with Tony on his chest yesterday, knowing all he had been through, and all he was offering Gibbs by simply being with him. He knew that Tony had an incredible heart, despite how much he tried shielding it from the world, yet he had offered it to Gibbs, trusting him to take care of such a precious gift. He let the words sink into him, and he felt his own heart grow heavy. "He isn't going to say 'yes'."

It was Abby's turn to freeze. Gibbs' words had come out so quietly that she almost didn't hear them. She had never heard the older man say anything in that tone, and it made her ache to hear it. "Wow, Gibbs- you really _have_ been thinking about this. Why do you think he won't say yes? He's practically worshipped the ground you walk on for going on twelve years, and he's totally in love with you. If I had known at all that he swung both ways, and that _you_ were able to bat both right and left handed, I so would have encouraged this years ago."

"Stephanie, Diane and-"

Abby cut him off. "Gibbs! He's not them. And things were _obviously_ different with them! I knew you when you were with Stephanie, remember? You were _never_ this happy with her! Things are so different this time."

"Yeah, I know, but how would Tony know that?" Gibbs stared at Abby, waiting for an answer, wishing a little to himself that she had one, but he knew that she didn't. "He doesn't, he couldn't, so no, he won't say yes. I'm really happy, and I'm not going to screw that up by pushing this. It's not necessary. He knows I'm not going anywhere. I don't need to give him a ring for him to understand that, and we don't need some ceremony to tell him how I feel. I need to go talk to Ducky about lunch. Thanks for the chat, Abs."

Abby watched as Gibbs practically ran out of the lab, evacuating before she could say anything. She stood there with her mouth hanging open at the even more abrupt than usual departure, and sat back down in her chair heavily. "He might not need it, but I think you do, Gibbs. Dontcha?" she said quietly to herself. She sat back in the chair and settled in to consider whether or not to get involved, and if so, how.

* * *

Gibbs headed for autopsy, flustered and completely unsure of how he had gotten that way so easily. Had he really just talked to Abby about that stuff? He shook his head, knowing exactly why he had opened up to her. Abby had reminded him of Kelly, and his girls had told him when he was drowning to go back, to get on with his life, and that meant letting people in.

He walked through the autopsy airlock doors, and found Ducky sitting at his desk over some paperwork. The older man looked up to greet his guest.

"Jethro! I was hoping to see you after your call yesterday. I must admit, it surprised me a bit. Have a seat. I'm just going over the case files for Agent Critten and Agent Parke. Interesting young men, both, unfortunately, with sad pasts." Gibbs sat in the chair next to the desk with a deep exhale while Ducky continued. "It would seem that Anthony has taken quite a shine to these young men, and it appears that he's ready to make a sincere investment in their future." Ducky closed the file he was reading, and finally met Gibbs' eyes. He was a bit surprised at what he saw in them, namely sadness. "What's on your mind, my friend?" he asked quietly.

"Abby just got me to talk to her about Tony, and the idea of marriage. Don't know which has me more on edge, the fact that she got me to talk about it so easily, or the sad truth that Tony is… damn it! There I go again!" Gibbs got to his feet.

"Jethro!" Ducky barked in a tone that Gibbs rarely heard from him, and never directed at himself. The younger man turned, and stared at his friend in shock. "Sit, talk. Obviously, this is something you need to discuss if it's coming to such a head that you're in this state. You know that if you don't, it's going to come out the wrong way, at the wrong moment, and could jeopardize so much of what you're working for. So rather than chance that, take a few moments, and tell me what's going on."

Gibbs looked at his friend with hesitation, trying to decide which he should give into, fight or flight. Stay and fight through the awkwardness of this to keep his relationship intact, or run from his emotions and make an excuse to leave. He swallowed hard.

"You can't keep shutting it out, Jethro," Ducky continued much more softly. "We both know that Anthony's observation skills, especially when it comes to you my friend, are rather acute. He'll know you're hiding something, and that sense of trust you're building in this whole new way will crumble. There is too much riding on this now, for everyone, for you to be stubborn and not deal with this. You have to face the reality that you are emotionally tied to the people on this team, and that it is your responsibility to deal with your own emotions so that they do not affect them."

Gibbs sat heavily in the chair, leaning forward, and rubbing his face with his hands. He hated that Ducky was right, and he tried not to take it out on his friend. "I've been married so many times now Ducky, that it feels like I… I don't know. None of them, other than… other than Shannon… felt so right. I _know_ this is right- Tony and I being together… is _right_. With the others, it was a "pretty sure" feeling. There was still a slight hesitation, but I did it anyway, wanting to be back in that place that I had with Shannie, wanting to feel _that_ again. I thought being married would help that happen, would help us settle into that contentment, but it didn't. With Tony, I already have it. I have that feeling, and I don't want to lose it. I know that being married doesn't guarantee that, but it means that if one of us ran, which we're both known for doing when it comes to this, we'd have to still at least try to communicate with one another through a divorce, and that might give us the time that two stubborn jackasses would need to start mending things."

Ducky stared at Gibbs in disbelief. "Did you just say that you want to get married to prevent a divorce?"

Gibbs thought for a moment, and then couldn't help the chuckle the bubbled up out of him. "Oh jeez, Duck, I did, didn't I?"

Ducky chuckled as well, resting his hand on Gibbs' knee. "Yes, I believe you did. I understand though, Jethro. You don't have to worry about that. You don't need the courts to intervene; you have a much bigger force keeping you two together."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, and waited for Ducky to continue. When he didn't, he threw out the expected answer to his unasked question. "Love?"

"Well, yes, that too I suppose, but I meant your team. Between Ziva, Timothy, Abigail, Mr. Palmer and I, you don't have a prayer at fouling this up. We won't let you."

Gibbs' laughter was warm and genuine, as he felt Ducky's words hit him with a wave of relief. He had wanted them to have their back, and he didn't realize that it was that reassurance that he had needed so badly. They had plenty of people in their lives to keep them on track. Something inside shifted, and he knew that he still wanted to marry Tony, but now it didn't feel like an urgent necessity, but a celebration. He'd give it time, and one day, maybe he'd convince Tony he wasn't so broken, and could make a marriage work and mean something beautiful.

"We're going to lunch, if you and Palmer wanna join us. Herman's. Tony made up the invitation to a fake monthly team lunch in order to irk with Simmons. Worked, too. He's going to be great, Duck."

"Ahh, yes! Her seafood allergy! I can just envision how the whole scene played out. He's quite a character when he needs to be. I'd be delighted to join you. Mr. Palmer should be in soon. He had to present cases to his professors this morning for dissertation. I'll message him to meet us at Herman's. Has anyone made a reservation yet?" Ducky was on his feet to go get his cell phone from the shelf under the x-ray box.

"I doubt. Would you mind? We can't let Simmons know it hasn't already been taken care of, and I can sure as guarantee that she's listening to every sound coming from our side of the bullpen."

"Certainly, Jethro. It would be my pleasure."

"Thanks. See you upstairs." Gibbs turned to leave, and turned back around. "And thanks for the talk, Doc."

"Anytime, my friend. Door's always open." The two men smiled at each other, and Gibbs headed upstairs.

* * *

Tony was reading over Critten's report while the young man talked with McGee about a certain search technique. The report was detailed and polished, and the section on the CIA bugs was concise. He could tell that Critten had been writing reports where every detail mattered for a while. His time with the Finance Task Force definitely gave him the upper hand on that.

Parke was still working on his report. He'd gone over it section by section with Tony, and they'd talked about things to change. Parke was eager to learn. Tony knew that Parke had his own kind of reports to write while he worked in the prison system, but they were points of reference for other people to work with, and read more like medical reports and psychiatric evaluations. This report had to be read by law enforcement, lawyers, judges, and at times, a jury.

Parke set about going through and making the changes that Tony had discussed with him, while Tony went over his own report again, giving it the appropriate touches. He considered it a sort of segue from writing cases as an SFA to team leader. Gibbs had really still been in charge, but his men were also in his care. The next report he wrote was all on him, explaining how he led the team through the case and the case procedures.

He finalized it in the system, and printed two copies out. One copy would stay with him for his files, and one would be for Gibbs' files. It would be the last time he gave him a copy of his report, and he sighed heavily at the thought. He wrote on a Post-It, and stuck it on the folder he had assembled for Gibbs, then took it and plopped it on Gibbs' desk.

Ziva caught his eye, and gave him a curious look. He gave her a sad smile, and shrugged. She watched him as he went back to his desk. When he felt her eyes on him, he looked back up and met them. She merely nodded, telling him that she understood, and he realized that she did. She had left Mossad, and joined them, leaving behind more than just a team, but her family, country, and an entire way of life. He nodded in return.

He realized things had gotten quiet next to him, and turned to find Tim watching their exchange. He knew right away what it was about, and mirrored the sad smile the other two were wearing. "Bittersweet," Tim said softly.

"That it is, Probie."

Critten chuckled, and turned to Tim. "He still calls you, Probie?"

Tim looked up and nodded, chuckling himself just a little. "He'll always call me, Probie. You two don't have an SFA to train you, so you'll probably always be Probies to DiNozzo as well. It's said with affection." Tim looked back at Tony. "Well, most of the time anyway."

Parke looked up to watch Tony's reaction to Tim's sentiment. He saw the sideways smile, and the way that his boss turned away from McGee almost shyly, pretending to do something on his computer. After a moment, his head jerked back up towards McGee, and Parke saw something change in his expression. There was a small hint of a protective nature in them, but it was overwhelmed by the demanding look Tony had gotten when telling Elly and him to do something during the case.

"Let me see your report, Probie. I'll make sure it hits Gibbs' SFA standards."

Tim winced as he heard Gibbs' voice entering the bullpen.

"What would you know about that, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said with a smirk as he breezed through the bullpen with his cup of coffee.

"Bite me, Boss. Tim, give me the folder." Tim's mouth hung open at the expression, and everyone turned to watch Gibbs' reaction. Tony looked up to find Gibbs trying to glare at him, and failing miserably, shocked by Tony's playful comeback. Ziva tried to hide behind her hand, but she couldn't hold in the laughter. Tim soon joined her, rubbing the tears from his eyes. Tony looked between Tim and Ziva. "Ya know, I think I'm going to like this whole being equals thing!"

That made Tim and Ziva laugh harder, and Parke, who had been trying so hard to keep it in sitting next to Tony's desk, facing away from Gibbs, lost it. Critten was standing against the filing cabinet next to Tony's desk, afraid of being caught in the line of fire, with a terrified look on his face.

Gibbs didn't know what to do. He immediately went into glare mode, but then thought about the moment he and McGee had shared on the Americana about the head slap, and besides remembering that he owed McGee two head slaps, he realized that their roles really weren't the same anymore. Tony joked about being Gibbs' equal, but it was the truth. He asked himself if it was so bad to have Tony able to joke with him at work like that now. Was it out of line, or was it just another sign of the changes they were going through? In the end he just smiled, shook his head, and sat down at his desk. The laughter settled, and Tony grabbed Tim's report from Critten, who passed it over gingerly, still uncertain of what to make of the situation.

McGee and Critten finally went back to their discussion, Tim demonstrating how to run the search they were talking about. Ziva and Parke finished up their reports silently, quickly absorbed in them again, knowing that lunch was waiting on them.

Gibbs looked down at the file on his desk once everyone went back to work. He saw the note attached, and slipped his glasses out of his pocket, and onto his nose.

_This is the last report I hand off to you. I hate it, but if that's what it takes, it's worth it. We're worth it, and I won't spend a moment regretting it._

Tony looked over Tim's report, and finding something he thought could be changed, grabbed a Post-It. That's when he remembered the note he had written, and put on the case file for Gibbs. He looked up, wondering if Gibbs had read it yet, to find his lover's blue eyes staring at the little yellow paper. Gibbs looked up, sensing Tony's stare, and their eyes met. Tony swallowed hard, and Gibbs blinked a couple of times.

They both went back to the folders in front of them, barely able to concentrate on what they were doing. Ziva got up, and dropped her file on Gibbs' desk. He barely acknowledged it with a nod, and she turned back to her desk, noting Tony's suddenly somber demeanor as well.

Parke turned to look at her, and they exchanged a knowing look about the change. He gave the last page of his report one final pass, and handed it off to Tony, startling him from his musings. Tony smiled, and took the folder, handing Tim's back to Critten to hand to the team's new SFA. Tony looked through Parke's report while Gibbs went over Ziva's. Tim made some adjustments to his based on Tony's notes, reprinted a page, and then moved to put the file on Gibbs' desk. Critten and Parke stood, uncertain of what to do.

Ziva decided to show them some mercy. "Let's go see if Abby is ready for lunch, shall we? Give you two a chance to get to know her."

Tim looked up from his computer at the sound of his girlfriend's name, and without looking, locked down his system. He was on his feet in seconds, leading the way for the four agents, and joking on the way to the elevator. Tony and Gibbs watched the group leave, knowing that they had tripped their investigative alarms off. Tony immediately emailed Gibbs.

_You okay?_

Gibbs looked at Tony who nodded towards the computer. Gibbs' email alert popped up, and he clicked on it. He hit reply.

_As I'm going to be. Ride with me to lunch?_

Tony read the reply, and smiled.

_Like I could turn down a chance at some time alone with you. Let's finish up, and blow this joint._

Gibbs read the email, and smiled.

"Much better," Tony said, seeing the sparkle returning to Gibbs' eyes as he read the reply.

Gibbs tried to hide the relief at getting some time alone with Tony behind an eye roll, but he was too happy, and his smile gave it away. "Will you just hurry up already?" Gibbs asked, the smile even evident in his voice.

Tony scanned the last page of Parke's report to make sure everything was changed the way they had talked about. It was, and he closed his folder. "Done."

Gibbs looked at him as he closed Ziva's folder. "Is McGee's report good to go?" Gibbs asked as he opened the folder.

"Yeah, I think so. Looks like he was making the change I suggested, but really that's all that I could find that you'd have a problem with." Tony was surprised as Gibbs flipped to the back page, and signed off on it without reading through it. "Wow, Boss. You must be hungry."

"I trust you," he said, taking the stack of folders, and standing up. Tony took Parke and Critten's cases as well, and joined Gibbs as they headed upstairs to deliver the files to Vance.

Pam gave Tony the nod as they came into the reception area, and the two walked in without knocking. Vance was behind his desk, a mound of paperwork already in front of him.

"Gibbs, DiNozzo. Those the reports for the Americana?" he asked, exhaustion tinting his voice as he dropped the folder he was going through onto the stack at his left.

"Yeah, something else for the pile, Leon," Gibbs said, dropping his team's reports on the stack on Vance's right, Tony following suit.

"Like I said, Gibbs- you always bring the worst kind of news. Interesting move yesterday. Completely unexpected. A snow day?" Vance sat back in his chair, a smile on his face insinuating the day was taken off for carnal pleasures.

"Wasn't much of a snow day. Spent the day buried in Critten and Parke's case reports, and following up on some things," Tony said.

"I'll leave you two to talk," Gibbs said. "We're all going to lunch if you want to join us, Leon." The older man squeezed Tony's shoulder, and left the room, leaving a very nervous Tony, and very confused Vance behind.

"What's going on, Agent DiNozzo?" Vance asked, motioning for Tony to sit. He did, but didn't feel comfortable. He put his best undercover tactics to use to remain calm, unsure of how to break the news of their discovery to him.

"I know that this is going to sound completely self-serving, but it has to be brought to your attention, no matter what the outcome is. I'm starting to understand why Parke and Critten are so unbelievably loyal to one another," Tony started.

Vance almost cringed. "Go on."

"They have no choice." Tony watched Vance's eyebrow cock, and continued. "I've read over almost all of the case files from when Critten started with the team. Each one says the same thing- he was floundering. He was eager to learn, reaching out for help, but he wasn't getting any of it. Brickerson tried his damnedest, and I've spoken with him to confirm, but Kathy hasn't done a single thing to keep him field worthy, or to train him. She created such an antagonistic environment between herself and Brickerson, that Critten didn't feel like he could go to her for help when he didn't know something, and honestly, from everything I've heard, I wouldn't have either.

"Almost every report she has written has said that he's lacking direction, but she never says how she's trying to rectify that. I've worked one case with him, and he's hung onto my every word, making whatever strides necessary to comply with every demand, eager to hear every suggestion. He's shown himself to be more than capable, and he's going to be a great agent.

"We learn a lot at FLETC, but nothing really prepares you for the job like experience, and someone there to guide you through it. Brickerson's last few months here were rough on him, filled with Simmons constantly talking down to him, and attempting to make him feel worthless because he didn't have the team lead position they had both applied for. Because of that, he left, and that caused Parke to be moved to the team. They haven't had an SFA to direct their questions to, or to train them, and Simmons hasn't tried. They've only had each other."

Vance listened intently, trying to process everything he was being told, and not liking anything he was hearing.

"They had a case right after Parke started on the team, and… well it hit a little close to home for Critten. If it wasn't for Parke's psychology background, Critten may have walked out on us that day, and we would have lost the opportunity to have him on our staff. They entered a scene that was much like how Critten had lost his own mother, and he shut down. Kathy started going off on him, and Parke pulled him aside, talking him back.

"Throughout the case, Parke discovered the child that had died on the scene, as well as the one kidnapped, were both foster children. He had been a foster child. Their personal motives for doing this work merged on that case, and even directionless, they were able locate the child that was taken, and two more, putting the killer and their abductor behind bars. They are driven, determined men, and I'm going to be really lucky to work with them, but Dr. Mallard is going to be giving them psychiatric evaluations this afternoon, and I want them to continue to talk to him over the next six months."

Vance sat forward in his chair, leaning his elbows on the desk, and eyeing Tony carefully. He had never known Tony to mislead him, never known him to deceive him. He saw the honest anger flaring in the younger agent's nostrils, and heard it in his voice as he talked. It did sound self-serving to tell him all of the reasons why Kathy hadn't led the team appropriately, but coming from the man in front of him, knowing that he'd been through the ringer enough over the past week, he knew that the self-service wasn't for the chance at being a permanent team lead. It was self-serving because Tony _wanted_ to work _with_ the people under him, and that meant making sure that they were safe to work with.

"You know, here I thought Gibbs was the one that was going to be bringing me bad news until the day I gave this chair up. Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. He's trained you to ruin my day, hasn't he?" Vance shook his head, and ran his hands down his face.

Tony wasn't sure what to say, so he stayed quiet.

"I watched you working with them today. They like you, and you work well with them. Have you discussed your findings with Agent Simmons yet?"

"No, sir. For two reasons, a, it's not my place, and b, because I haven't been calm enough to talk rationally about it until now. As I told Gibbs and McGee as we were going through their files yesterday, I know what it's like to show up on a scene and not know how to process what's happening. There's always that one case that has the potential to completely tear you down, but if you're handled properly, you'll get through it, and come out stronger on the other side because of it. Simmons could have had two _very_ messed up agents on her hands that night if they hadn't been able to be there for one another. Her lack of care has me feeling more than a little angry."

"You're very protective of them, Agent DiNozzo. I'm scared to ask why, but I'm going to. Why? Why care so much about them? You've only had them under you for a couple of days."

Tony smiled, thinking of their time aboard the Americana, and throughout the prep for the case. "Rule five. They have a lot of potential, and they are passionate about their work. I see a lot of my own reasons for being here in them. Their drive, their loyalty, their _reasons_ for coming to work every day, will make them great agents. They remind me of myself. I love what I do, and the only thing that has ever tempted me into giving it up is my relationship. Even then, I would merely change which organization I worked for, not the work itself. I believe doing this makes a difference, and if those two want to make a difference, then I want to help them do it."

Vance wasn't sure what to make of the openness that Tony was sharing with him. There was so much he was learning about his agent as the week went on, and he wasn't sure what to do with all of the information. He had never expected they would be having a heart to heart, and that he would be considering making Tony a permanent team leader that week. Hell, he figured that Tony would fight it all the way, preferring to stay under Gibbs, or at least come back to his team when Kathy returned from her maternity leave. He'd never thought that Tony would be putting up such a passionate argument to retain the position before he'd even really started it.

"I'll tell you what, DiNozzo- get me the case files. I'll look them over. Have Dr. Mallard come see me when his evaluations are finished. I don't really know what to make of this right now. Let me get all of the pieces together, then we'll talk again. Balboa's on call this weekend right?"

"Yeah. I know it's not Gibbs, and I'm pretty sure it's not me. It should be us next weekend, Gibbs after that since I was on call last week." Tony paused. "That sounds confusing even to me."

"I'll admit, it's weird to hear you on call, and Gibbs on call, as a separate thing. Speaking of which, did you get your change of address form in yet?" Vance smirked at Tony, wondering if Tony would be more open about their relationship than Gibbs.

"Yeah, I emailed it back. Haven't officially moved in yet, but soon. I had better get going. Everyone is waiting for me to go to lunch."

"Where are you headed?" Vance asked, remembering Gibbs' invitation.

"Herman's. Are you joining us?" Tony asked, almost sounding hopeful, and surprising himself as much as Vance.

"I would, but considering the circumstances, I'd better not. If certain things happen because of this investigation, I don't want there to be any reason for Simmons to call foul play, and you know that she is the type that would." Tony nodded in understanding.

"Want us to bring you back something?"

Vance laughed. "Thanks, but I'm afraid the same rules probably apply."

"Yeah, I figured. I'll have the files to you after lunch."

"I'll be waiting for them," Vance replied, his voice and expression suddenly serious again.

* * *

Tony arrived in the bullpen to find the entire crew waiting for him. He smiled and apologized, grabbing his badge and gun before slipping on his coat. "Are we ready?" He looked around at everyone bundled up in their parkas, Abby and Ziva with their purses.

"I think so," McGee said. "I think Abby and Ziva are riding with me. Jimmy and Ducky are riding together, and Critten and Parke are set to go together. That leaves you and Gibbs."

"Makes sense. Okay, people! Let's go!"

In the garage, people scattered to the four winds to find the car they were riding in. Gibbs and Tony got into their car, Gibbs behind the wheel, and they waited for the other three cars to head out of sight. Tony watched Gibbs scan the rearview mirror to wait for McGee's car to pull around the bend out of the garage. When blue eyes turned to meet green, Gibbs leaned forward, Tony meeting halfway, and their lips met for a sweet kiss, giving them the reassuring comfort they both needed.

"Can you miss someone you've spent most of the day with?" Tony asked quietly. "Because I really missed you, missed this."

Gibbs smiled, and nodded, kissing Tony again softly. They pulled apart before they could start any sparks that would leave them more frustrated than happy, and Gibbs turned the key in the ignition. "How did your talk with Vance go?"

"I told him everything. I told him about Kathy, about Parke and Critten, and about their pending evals with Ducky. He seemed genuinely concerned, and depending on what he sees when he goes over the files and talks to Ducky, we might be on the road to something permanent." Tony ran his tongue over the back of his teeth, staring off into the slushy distance as they drove down the road.

Gibbs reached out, and took his hand. "You know what I love about you, Tony?"

Tony was taken aback by the question, and turned to look at his lover.

"You could be doing this for all the wrong reasons, but you're not. You're doing this because you care about them. You're a good person Tony, and you're going to be, and already are a great team leader."

Tony felt himself blush under the praise. It was odd, hearing the blend of both their working and personal relationships in the comment, and Tony decided that he really liked it. It was one of the most intimate moments in their entire relationship so far, because it showed that Gibbs really knew him at the core, and loved him for it. His entire life, he'd had his father breathing down his neck, constantly berating him because he didn't have the heartless intention needed for the family's line of work. He didn't respect Tony because he cared about other people more than himself, and frequently questioned how his son was going to make it in the that world. It meant so much to Tony that Gibbs could acknowledge just how different he had turned out from his father, and tell him that he fit into _their_ world, and that it was where he belonged.

"Thanks, Jethro." He squeezed his lover's hand, and watched his face as he drove. At the next light, Gibbs looked at him closely, seeing his eyes shining a bit brighter as they glazed over.

They pulled up to find the rest of the team waiting for them outside of the restaurant. It was an odd turn of events, seeing as Gibbs had been driving, but they found a space, and joined the group on the icy sidewalk.

"Just in time! The reservation is for 1:15, and it's 1:10. Let's get inside before we freeze, shall we?" Ducky announced, and they all filed in.

* * *

Lunch went great, with both teams laughing and relaxing with one another. Gibbs and Tony made sure to sit with Abby between them so that they remained a professional distance. It was nice, and Tony hated to know that he was about to shake up everything.

As they went to leave, Tony asked to ride with Critten and Parke back to the yard to talk to them about something. They said sure, and that started a total shuffling of who road with who. Ducky ended up with Gibbs, Ziva with Palmer, and Abby and Tim got some time alone for the ride back to the yard.

Sliding into the back seat, Tony buckled his seatbelt, and waited until they were starting down the road before he started talking.

"So, I looked through your cases yesterday, trying to learn about you so that I have some idea of what you've been through so far, what you've learned, where to pick up in your training, and here's the funny thing- it doesn't sound like you've been given much in the way of training." Tony watched the two men looking at one another, then met Parke's eyes in the rearview mirror while noticing that Critten had turned to look out of the window.

Parke's eyes turned back to the road. "Because we haven't."

"Didn't think so. Whatever is said in this car, stays in this car, do we understand each other?" Critten turned around in his seat so he could look into Tony's eyes. Tony met them squarely, conveying the seriousness of the matter.

Both men nodded.

"I read about the North Ridge case."

Parke put on his flasher, and pulled over into a parking spot on the side of the road. He stopped the car, and turned towards Tony, giving him his full attention. Tony was a little startled by that, but he schooled himself so that it didn't show.

"She left you hanging." He looked over at Critten, whose eyes were dropped, staring at the armrest in between him and Parke. "And she completely failed you when you needed her. She broke rule number one."

"Never screw over your partner," Parke said, looking at Critten, who raised his eyes to meet him.

Tony took a deep breath. "When I was in college, I went into a burning building to get a kid out. I was passing by, and it just happened, and I didn't think. There were two kids, and I only got one. The other child died screaming, and I heard it all. It's etched into my brain. It's why I became a cop.

"I worked narcotics in Philly, and we'd been casing this place, an abandoned apartment building. It had been used by squatters for years, but in the winter, we never kicked anyone out, because they had nowhere else to go. There was a woman who had been squatting in there that fall with her kids, and when we had cleared the place before the weather turned cold, she had already gotten out. Once the bad weather came, I saw her on multiple occasions going in and out of the building with those kids."

Parke's head cocked to the side, knowing what was coming, and his eyes grew sad. "I drove by one night to drop off info with an undercover we had in the building, and wouldn't you know, that building was on fire. It was burning from top to bottom, no chance of anyone going in to get the people we could hear inside. I lost it. I froze, and all I could hear was that little girl screaming from six years earlier. I had no idea yet if the kids had made it out of the building in front of me alive or not. I later found out that they hadn't. Someone was cooking up a batch of meth, and it blew, and there wasn't a prayer for anyone in there. We lost the officer we had undercover… we lost everyone in that building. I had to be taken in for shock, and was in a shrink's office all week, and for months afterwards doing follow-up. We _all_ have some kind of case that gets to us more than others, and you both had the case from hell with North Ridge."

Both men stared back at Tony as he talked, their eyes growing sadder and sadder as the story unfolded. "For what it's worth, I think you both should be commended for not only finding a way to work together to get through such a tough case, but for going against Kathy's orders to find those kids. You are both incredibly dedicated agents, and I'm really lucky to have you. I am _not_ Kathy though, and I'm not going to leave you to the wolves. Part of that is making sure that you get things off your chest when you need to. Doctor Mallard is not only the M.E., but the MCRT's personal psychologist. We don't talk to the normal shrinks, seeing as not a one of us has a typical past, and definitely not a typical present. I talked to him today, and he's going to take you guys on as well. He's honest, caring, a little long-winded, but you can trust him. A lot of shit is about to hit the fan, and he'll defend you as long as you're honest with him."

The younger men looked at each other. Parke nodded and sat back in his seat, his head resting on the headrest. Tony could see his eyes closing in the mirror, and turned to look at Critten who looked confused. "What?" Tony asked.

"Why do I have the feeling I'm now part of a mob family?" he answered.

Tony sat back laughing hard. "The MCRT _is_ pretty much like a mob family. You mess with us, and you'd better watch yourself. Honestly, guys, they are my family. They mean more to me than anyone in the entire world. It wasn't my choice to leave them, but things are changing, and here I am. I fought it tooth and nail, but now that I've had a chance to get to know you two, I'm looking forward to the next chapter in my tale."

"So, Ducky's a shrink, huh?" Parke said, looking resigned.

Tony smirked. "Forensic psychologist actually, well, on top of being a doctor and M.E. of course."

Parke turned back around to look at him for a moment. "Huh." The key turned over in the ignition, and they started back towards the Navy Yard.

"When we get back to the office, Critten, you go see Ducky. He'll be expecting you. Parke, I need you to look at some video with me for a case we just closed. I need to get your take on something." Tony tried to watch both of their reactions, but it was hard being in the back seat. He saw Parke nod, and then looked at Critten, searching his face for how he was feeling.

Tony immediately noticed the concern on Parke's face as he saw Critten's. "Hey, man. It's fine, don't worry about it."

Critten nodded, slowly, and Tony could see his jaw clench. "Elijah, look at me."

Critten turned around suddenly to face Tony again.

"Ducky is not one to judge. He's safe. You can tell him anything, and he'll keep it to himself. He told me that only what is absolutely necessary is going to be used to bring Kathy down."

"Is that what we're doing? Bringing her down?" Parke asked, meeting Tony's eyes in the rearview mirror.

Tony realized what he had given away. "Is that what you two want?"

"To her knees," Parke said through clenched teeth.

His vehemence startled Tony, but again, he managed not to let it show. He turned to Critten. "And you, Elijah?"

"Definitely."

"Then it's settled. The best thing we can do to make that happen, is just tell the truth. She's done enough damage to get Vance to pull her. I talked to him before lunch. He knows what's going on, and he's starting to investigate. It will all come to a head naturally now." The men in the front seat exchanged a look and a nod, and Tony sat back in his seat, comfortable that they were on the same page.

"Bitch is going down," Parke muttered with a smile as they pulled into the Yard, flashing their badges at the guard.

* * *

Critten headed straight for Ducky's lab when they got in, skipping the elevators and using the stairs. Parke and Tony headed for the bullpen to find everyone else already there. Tony put his gun away in his desk, and picked up the stack of files from on top of his filing cabinet. "Go ahead on up to the conference room. I'll be there in a few. Just gotta run this upstairs."

Parke nodded at him, and grabbed his backpack from next to Tony's desk. Tony waited until Parke was up the stairs and out of sight before he made his way to Gibbs' desk, and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Critten is with Ducky, and Parke is going down when he's done. When I get you home, you're not leaving all fucking weekend."

When Tony pulled away, Gibbs raised an eyebrow at him, trying hard not to smile. "Sounds good. I'll send Critten up to talk to you when he gets back up here," he said quietly.

Tony smirked, and turned to leave Gibbs, and a very interested McGee and Ziva, alone in the bullpen. He made his way up to Vance's office, nodding at Pam before he headed in.

"Agent DiNozzo. Those the files?" Vance asked as he looked up from his dwindling stack of paperwork.

"Yes, sir. Critten is with Ducky now," Tony answered. "Parke is going down afterwards. For now I have him looking over some of the Stafford video with me."

"Sounds reasonable. Let me know if you find anything. I'll be expecting Dr. Mallard later then?"

Tony nodded. "He'll be up after he talks to them both, and writes up his findings."

"Very well. Did you have any of the crab cakes?"

Tony smiled. "No, but Gibbs did, and he brought his leftovers with him. I'll probably have one tonight."

"They have the best crab cakes."

"That's what Gibbs said, too. I'll stop in before I leave." Tony turned to leave the room, unsure of what to make of the new relaxed relationship Vance was trying to have with him. He found it easy to play along, but he wasn't sure to what extent he should trust it to last. It was genuine, he knew that much; he just had to wonder how long it would be around.

* * *

Tony and Parke watched the videos, taking notes as they went. Parke agreed with Tony that something was amiss in Melinda Stafford's sessions as she described the murders she claimed to commit. They watched the session in which she described the murder of her granddaughters over and over, looking for some kind of tell. They were on their fifth go-round when the door creaked open, and a rather pale but calm, Elijah Critten walked in.

Parke got to his feet immediately. "You okay, Elly? Shit, sit down. You're as white as a ghost." Parke shot Tony a look that barely hid the blame.

"Don't worry, man, I'm good. Just… got some stuff off my chest I hadn't realized I needed to, and it surprised me. I think you'll like Ducky. He's waiting for ya."

Elly's words calmed Parke visibly.

"Okay, as long as you're good," Parke said quietly.

"Yeah, definitely. Better than okay, I think."

Parke looked at him, taking in every inch of his body, looking for the signs of discomfort that a person couldn't hide when they lied. By then, he knew every single one of Elly's tells, and he didn't see any indication that he was lying, or that he was in any discomfort at all. In fact, he really did look calmer than ever. He couldn't remember ever seeing Elly so completely still, used to the fidgeting and foot tapping that always plagued the energetic geek. He nodded, and with a squeeze of his friend's shoulder, left the room.

Tony looked at Parke, uncertain of what to say. "You really feel better?" he asked quietly.

"Loads. I mean, I knew things were getting kinda messed up, but I didn't realize they had gotten _that_ bad. I haven't set up time with a therapist since I moved here. With everything with my mom, I would see one a few times a year, just to check in as a kid. Made sure I always had someone to unload with when I lived in Minnesota, too. With how things were going with Kathy, I wondered how long I'd be here, so I didn't bother." Tony moved to the seat closer to Critten.

"I heard about how your mom died. I, um, lost my mom when I was eight. When I heard how you had, well, how you found your mom, it took both McGee and Gibbs to snap me out of my own flashback. I found my mom after a night of binge drinking and pill popping. She had severe depression, and that was how she coped. I've talked with Ducky quite a bit over the years. Learning that I have people around me that watch my back, and know why I am the way I am, has been… well unbelievable. It has taken me a long time to come to believe in it, but I know that Ducky and Gibbs have my back, and even McGee and Ziva look out for me. Knowing what issues trip them up, I have theirs as well. It works for us." Tony's quiet words were spoken more from the heart than the head, and he spent a lot of the time that he told his story with his focus on his hands. He looked up at his young agent, and he found that he looked concerned.

"I'm just saying that you won't ever be left there, hung out to dry like that again. Like I said the other night, I take care of my own, and you two are now my own. Even if by some nightmarish hell, Simmons gets you guys back next year, you can always come to me."

"The mob is from the Island of Misfit Toys." Critten shook his head and chuckled. "I'm starting to understand where the loyalty comes from, now. All of the stories are making sense."

"Yeah, we're kind of the Godfather meets Rudolph," Tony said, smiling at Critten's crack. "Only, Gibbs is the Abominable Snowman, and the girlie reindeer would have kicked the punk reindeer's ass when he made fun of Rudy." They both smiled at one another, and Tony could feel an understanding pass between them. This was going to be a lifelong bond, and they both were looking forward to it.

* * *

Ducky sat in the chair across from Director Vance, watching as his face grew more and more unreadable. He had given his evaluations of both of Anthony's young agents, and Vance was not taking it well. He couldn't blame the young man though, for he himself felt the same fury building within himself as each agent had told their story.

Vance watched Ducky tell him the results of his time with Critten and Parke, and he felt his stomach drop out. DiNozzo was right- Kathy had been toxic for them. He felt like an idiot, not seeing this happening under his own nose. He tried to tell himself that there was no way to know, but it was his job to see things that couldn't be seen. He had to admit to himself that he hadn't paid close enough attention, and he had made the wrong decision by appointing Kathy team lead to begin with. She'd scared off two tenured agents, and had now put two newbies into therapy. Her chance was blown. When she came back, she would not be in charge of anyone any longer.

He leaned forward, and pressed the button on his phone for his secretary. "Pam, I need Agents DiNozzo and Simmons up here immediately, please."

Ducky knew that tone of voice did not bode well for Agent Simmons, and he dreaded the confrontation, no matter how much it was deserved. "Do you wish me to stay, Director?"

"I'd appreciate it if you would, Dr. Mallard. I'm sure Agent DiNozzo would as well."

"Then I'll stay," Ducky answered calmly.

A moment later, the door opened, and Tony walked in. As he stood in front of Vance's desk, no words were exchanged, merely a slow nod from the Director, and then Tony sat down in the seat next to Ducky. Tony and Vance's eyes met again, staring back at one another, fueling one another's fury as they waited for their prey. When they heard the door open a few minutes later, all three heads snapped in the direction of the woman entering the room.

Kathy Simmons saw the three men that were waiting for her, and she swallowed hard. She had no idea what was going on, but it didn't look good. The cold chill that ran up her spine made her want to run out of the room, and when the door clicked shut behind her, she felt like she had just heard prison bars slide shut, locking her in. This wasn't good-not good at all.


	25. Chapter 25

Kathy took a deep breath, and came to stand next to Tony, in front of Vance. "I was told you wanted to see me, Director."

Tony watched as Vance tamed his anger, and tried to do it as well. He thought about Gibbs, about the quiet strength he always seemed to possess, and he tried to channel it. He'd learned from watching Gibbs when to let the cork off, and when to stop it tighter- this was a stop it tighter moment, at least for now. Tony looked up at the woman standing next to him, taking a deep breath as quietly as possible. This needed to be handled delicately in order to prove that he was capable of keeping his head when he needed to, yet passionate enough to back up his men.

"Yes, Agent Simmons, we need to discuss some things," Vance began. Vance was just as angry at himself as he was with her, since he hadn't seen what was, or rather, what wasn't happening. "Some things have been brought to my attention about the way you've been handling your team. Things haven't been done that needed to be, and things have been done that shouldn't have been done."

The woman looked down to meet the cold stares of both Tony and Ducky, and Tony secretly relished in the shiver he saw running down her spine. He felt the anger simmering inside of him as he noticed that Simmons looked genuinely confused, not having any idea about what they were referring to. He wondered how she could be so clueless, but he knew he shouldn't expect someone so cold to realize when she's crossed the line over to 'power hungry selfish bitch' from field agent. Not for the first time, he considered what she must have been like in the field. Her drive was probably seen as tenacity. He imagined her being extremely by the book, never letting a physical piece of evidence go unnoticed, but completely unable to read the people around her.

"I'm not sure what you're referring to, but I'm sure whatever it is, it can be corrected," she offered, her voice surprisingly calm for someone whose fingers shook as she ran her knuckles over her elbow when she crossed her arms.

"I'm not willing to take that chance. As Agent DiNozzo reviewed the cases in which you've been responsible for Agents Critten and Parke, a certain pattern emerged. There was a constant criticism of your agents, but there was never any mention of the outcome of your attempts to train them in the correct manner. After speaking with them, it was determined that there _wasn't_ an attempt to train them, nor was there any constructive criticism on what they should work on in order to locate the answers themselves."

Kathy opened her mouth to say something, but only managed to get an affronted, "I-" out of her mouth before Vance raised a hand to cut her off.

"Besides your blatant unwillingness to work with your agents, time and time again, in order to make them better at their job, it seems that you've managed to sabotage not only their careers, but their psychological welfare." That stunned the woman out of her anger, and she looked at him in a panic.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice starting to shake as much as her hand.

Tony tried hard not to lose his cool. His mouth opened of its own accord, and he managed to close it again before words actually formed, but barely. He shook his head slightly, and took a deep breath, remembering to channel his inner Gibbs. He jumped when he heard Ducky's cold tone behind him. It held none of the sympathy for his audience that he normally would have held, and it let Tony know just how much his guys had gotten to the doctor.

"We're talking about the way you handled Elijah Critten's episode in the double homicide in North Ridge, of the wife and foster-daughter of Lieutenant Martin Sarcovi, and the kidnapping of his foster-son. Agent Critten suffers from a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and walking into a crime scene that strongly resembles the situation that caused his disorder, induced a flashback. You failed not only to recognize the problem for what it was, but rather than help your agent through a difficult case, you berated him, causing him to shut down even further. If it weren't for Agent Parke's extensive training in traumatic disorders, the young man very well could have had a psychotic break right then."

Tony saw the woman's defenses kick in, and she snapped. "How was I supposed to know the kid has PTSD? And why in the hell is he allowed into the field if something like that could set him off?"

"It's right there in his file!" Tony snapped. He got to his feet, but stood where he was. His voice dropped to the cold tone that he reserved for the most loathsome criminals in interrogation. "Right there in his file, under 'Psychological Profile'." Vance handed him a folder that he recognized as Critten's profile. He looked down, and began reading from the paper. " _Elijah Critten has been successfully treated his entire life for PTSD, after finding his mother slaughtered in his home at three years old. Through the use of extensive talk therapy and occasional hypnosis, he has been able to channel his anxiety and depression into a productive role that not only satisfies his psychological needs, but functions to serve society in a selfless and commendable manner, while remaining a healthy distance from his past trauma_." Tony shook his head as his eyes met Kathy's, and she immediately looked down.

"If you cared about who you have working under you at all, instead of wondering whether or not they can hold your weight as you try to climb the political ladder on their backs, you would have read it. Both he and Parke have incredible talents, and are going to be fantastic agents with a little bit of guidance, but you don't give a damn about them, or the work you're _supposed_ to be doing. You have your sights set on something, and you're going to crawl all over whoever you have to in order to get there, even if it means crushing great agents, and good men, under your heels along the way."

Ducky noticed the way that Kathy visibly shrunk, and how much her demeanor changed under Tony's interjection. She hadn't seemed that intimidated by Vance or himself, but something about Tony set her on edge, and he wasn't sure if he should stop Tony now, or let him keep going. He decided to intervene.

"The question is simple: Did youm or did you not, read your agents' psychological profiles before you began working with them?" Ducky watched every muscle of the woman's face change as she turned her eyes on him. She was suddenly fierce again, defensive and fiery.

"No. There was no reason to. Anything that significant should disqualify someone from working in the field to begin with-"

Tony began laughing sardonically, causing Kathy to turn back to him confused and silent. Ducky watched as her eyes start shifting around the room at waist height, unable to raise them to meet Tony's.

"Do you have any idea how many people on this staff have suffered from PTSD, depression, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder…" Tony ticked off each condition on his fingers as he spoke. "I could keep going, really, I could. You're on a military base! A third of our agents have _served_ , a few have been _tortured,_ and most people on staff are required to see the shrinks for more than just a once a year evaluation. Hell, the _shrinks_ around here have shrinks!"

Vance stood up and came around to the other side of his desk, leaning back on it. "There is also the issue of withholding information later in the same case that your agents had come across- information that eventually solved the case. You knew the value of that information, but for some reason, you chose not to disclose it to the FBI agents you were working with, _or_ act upon it. I'd like for you to explain why you didn't investigate the merits of the information when they brought it to you."

Tony stared her down, waiting for the answer.

"I didn't believe their suggestion had enough evidence behind it compared to some of the other options we had at the moment."

"You want to know what I think," Vance said, finally allowing some of his anger to slip into his voice. "I think you didn't want to acknowledge that they just might have had the answer, and they had come up with it working together, and in working together, you realized just how badly you had screwed the pooch by not giving them a chance. That's what I think."

"He's a lot more lenient than me," Tony seethed. "I believe that you just completely disregard anything and everything that has to do with them, because they aren't on what you believe to be "your level". Either that, or you're afraid of their talent, and would have kept them down for years in order to make yourself look good."

"What exactly are you implying, Tony? That I'm intentionally screwing with their careers?" Ducky watched Simmons' attempt at finally addressing Tony's comments directly. Her words were angry, but her tone wasn't nearly as clear and steady as it was when she directed her comments at him or the Director.

"I'm implying that you don't care!" Tony said, raising his voice to a borderline shout. "I'm not just implying it, I'm saying it! You don't care about them- at all! You don't give a _damn_ about them! They aren't people to you! Who knows? Maybe it's not just them. Maybe, you don't see _anyone_ as people anymore. Have you gotten to the point yet where everyone looks like little plastic pawns to you? Just little pieces on your board?"

" _Agent DiNozzo,"_ Vance warned.

"You know," his voice dropped lower than his interrogation voice. "You're losing your humanity to this political game you've designed. It's sad." Tony shook his head slightly, and he felt the anger draining out of him at the realization. "It's really sad."

The sudden pity in Tony's eyes tripped the switch in Kathy, hitting a little too close for comfort. "No, what's sad is this pitiful attempt you're making for my job. You think you suddenly have your foot in the door, that you're finally going to get out from under Gibbs, and you're making a play for it."

Tony started laughing, and soon Ducky was joining him, trying desperately not to. Even Vance had to fight back a chuckle, unable to hide the smile on his face. "Are you kidding me?" Tony asked between laughs. "Seriously? Let me fill you in on something, Agent Simmons. I was offered the position to form the Rota team years ago, and I turned it down because of my ties to this city, and the people here that I care about. I didn't _ask_ to be moved from Gibbs' team, and if given the option, I would work under him until the day he retires. I know I can trust him to never lead me into a dangerous situation without having my back. I've risked my life time and time again for my team, and they are everything to me. Life changes though, and the time to move on sneaks up on us for a number of reasons. I would have never thought in my wildest dreams two weeks ago that I'd be here fighting for two agents I barely know, standing up on their behalf because I'd found out that the person who is supposed to be _teaching_ them, _guiding_ them, building a sense of _loyalty_ with them, is the very person who has let them down the most, constantly putting them in danger because they aren't trained properly, and are going out into the field anyway. I never would have thought that I'd be standing here, willing to give up my position on my team, in order to clean up your mess, but I am. I am, because _I DO_ give a damn about Parke and Critten, and I'll be damned if you get your claws into them again. It doesn't have to be me in that lead position, but it sure as hell had better not be you!"

All four people in the room grew deathly silent at Tony's explosion. Tony thought back to how he lost his cool with Jacobs just a few days prior, and realized that this was now the second time in two weeks he had snapped. He hadn't gone off like this in his entire life, but suddenly things were worth getting passionate over. His relationship with Jethro, his old team and new team, his life- they were all worth defending, and he was finding himself doing so in very uncharacteristic ways. If the other three people in the room were surprised by his rant, it was nothing compared to how he felt about himself, and the complete change he'd just proven he had undergone over the past couple of weeks.

Ducky watched Tony's expression, trying to figure out if he was okay. He'd never seen Tony tear into someone like that. He'd had the privilege and the horror of watching Jethro turn loose on plenty of people like that, but Tony usually kept his cool, played it close to the chest and used mind games to get people to unravel. This was different. This was raw, passionate anger, fueled by personal attachment. He was unsure of whether to be awed or worried.

Tony stared directly into Kathy's cold gray eyes; eyes that had finally risen to meet his, and he saw a dozen different emotions in them. He saw fury, he saw resentment, he saw pain, he saw fear, but what kept him on edge, and angry was what he didn't see. There was no remorse, no shame, no guilt, no concern for anyone but herself. Apparently Vance saw it as well.

"Even now, confronted with all of this, you don't believe you've done anything wrong, do you?" he asked her.

She looked up into the bloodshot red eyes of the tired man leaning on his desk. He shook his head when he didn't get any response other than the cold, stubborn stare she gave him.

"You know, there are dozens of agents downstairs that could have been placed on your team with experience that these two men don't have, but I personally chose them based on their backgrounds and knowing their lives before they joined NCIS. I have watched the MCRT for years now, trying to figure out what makes them so successful, and in the end, I've learned that what they have can't be taught in a training class- it's earned. They balance one another, feed off of one another, and rely on one another on and off of the job. They have heart, and they apply that heart, that drive, to their work. Knowing that both of these young men have reasons behind wanting to be an agent, personal reasons for their drive and ambition, made them special, made them stand out. I expect great things out of them, but in order for that to happen, they have to be handled properly, and you have proven that you're not the best fit to do that. When you come back from maternity leave, you'll be reassigned. We'll discuss it when the time comes. As of right now, I'm appointing Agent DiNozzo as team leader. He will assume the role immediately, and permanently."

Tony turned to Vance, stunned by the fact that this man didn't seem to trust him until a week ago, had actually just handed over a team to him, and that he had done so easily, without hesitation. It drained him of anger, and left him numb, as if though it wasn't really happening. It didn't take long for that shock to be broken by an even greater shock.

"Like hell I will! You think that you can replace me with some childish frat boy just because he's part of the club? You'll be-"

"AGENT SIMMONS!" Vance barked. "You can think whatever you like to in order to clear your conscience, but as was stated earlier, we've tried to get Agent DiNozzo to take team lead positions in the past, and he was about to be offered the pending opening in Maine, when the MCRT lead retires in September, before recent events offered him the chance to fill in for you, and remain in D.C. There are reasons for that that go beyond what your limited contact with him has shown you. He's proven to work better with Agents Parke and Critten in just a few days than you've managed in months, so yes, he is replacing you, and if you'd like _any_ role in this agency in the future, it would be best if you stopped and thought before you say another word. You're dismissed."

Kathy stood there in shock for a moment before turning around and storming out of the room. Tony turned back to Vance in total shock.

"Well, that was fun," Vance said sarcastically, moving back behind his desk to get some paperwork from a filing cabinet. "Take these. Read over them, fill them out, and bring them to me at 0700 on Monday. We'll discuss everything then."

Tony took the stack of papers, and nodded.

"Go tell your team. I know they'll be happy to hear the news." Vance was already sitting down to his own mound of paperwork that would be required in order to turn the team over to Tony. Tony turned to Ducky who beamed at him.

"Thank you, sir. Seven o'clock on Monday." Tony nodded at his own reference, and turned to walk out of the room.

"DiNozzo," Vance said, causing Tony to turn back around. "Don't let me down."

Tony smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it, Director."

Vance smiled back, and Tony followed Ducky out of the room.

The two men moved silently through the hallway to the catwalk around the bullpen. It was already after 1700 on a Friday, but as they looked down, the MCRT and Tony's agents were all waiting silently for them. Parke was leaning against the side of Ziva's desk, worrying a nail with his teeth. Critten was sitting in a chair next to Tim's desk, back against the filing cabinet. Gibbs had his chin propped on the knuckles of folded hands. Even Abby and Palmer had joined them, waiting impatiently for the news.

Unfortunately, Kathy was on her side of the bullpen throwing things around on her desk, emptying it into bags and a box. Tony swallowed hard. He knew that she wasn't coming back. He'd packed and ran like that plenty of times, and he knew what it meant. He also knew that it was part of the reason why everyone in the bullpen was silent.

Tony stood at the top of the stairs, and cleared his throat. Gibbs' head snapped up, and with one look and a toss of Tony's head, Gibbs was on his feet and leading the rest of the people up the stairs like a mother duck and her ducklings. They all filed into the conference room next to MTAC, and grouped in a huddle around Tony and Ducky.

Eight pairs of expectant eyes rested on Tony, waiting for him to speak. He smiled at the hopeful looks on Critten and Parke's faces.

"Vance has officially made me the permanent team lead over Parke and Critten. Kathy will be reassigned to a different position when she returns, well, if she returns to the agency, after she has her baby."

Cheers rang up around the room, and congratulations were exchanged all around. Critten and Parke turned to one another, giving each other an exuberant embrace that caused much of the group to laugh.

"I can't tell you how excited I am. Like I said to Vance and Kathy, I would never have expected this a few weeks ago, but now that it has presented itself to me, and I've gotten to know my two new Probies, I'm looking forward to it. I'm also stunned- really, really, really, reallyyyy stunned."

More congratulations were exchanged, and the group started talking about possibly going out for a drink to celebrate. Tony took one look at Jethro, and realized that they needed some time alone to process everything. He promised to call them all to get together for drinks the next night, but said that he had plans for the night, and the celebration would have to wait. They all agreed to meet up at seven the next night for a drink, and pretty soon, the only two people left in the room were Tony and Jethro.

Jethro's blue eyes stared deeply into the green eyes of the man in front of him. He saw Tony's confidence and his joy, and though he was thrilled for him, he himself felt uncomfortably sad and awkward about the fact that Tony was excited to be leaving his team now.

Tony saw the sadness in those blue eyes, and knew just what he needed to do.

"Take me home, Jethro," Tony said quietly, but firmly. "I'm going to prove to you how much I still need you."

Jethro's eyes grew a little darker, thinking of all of the things that could entail. His breathing sped up, and he swallowed hard as he nodded, turning to leave the room, and take Tony home where he belonged.


	26. Chapter 26

Gibbs felt eyes on him as he opened his drawer to get his gun and badge. He slowly stood up, looking at Tony, but it wasn't him. He checked the staircase, but Vance wasn't standing at his normal stalking post. By then, his glances had gotten Tony's attention, and they both looked around the room trying to find what Gibbs was looking for. When neither of them saw anyone around, Gibbs stared towards the windows, his eyes scanning the yard.

Tony moved to his side. "What's going on, Jethro?" he asked quietly.

"Someone was watching us. It's not a good feeling, and I know it well." Gibbs' voice was quiet, and his mouth barely moved as he talked, still staring out the window, trying to locate the source of what he was feeling.

Tony nodded, looking around on high alert. His mind was inundated with so much that he hadn't felt it. Jethro's paranoia was catching though, and Tony felt himself wondering who it could have been. A thought came to mind, and he turned to his partner suddenly. "Hey, whatever happened to Jacobs, anyway?"

Gibbs turned to look back at Tony. "I don't know. We got the Americana case, and I never bothered to follow up."

"I think it's time we did," Tony said. Gibbs nodded, and moved past Tony towards the MTAC stairs.

Tony followed behind, a little shaken at the idea that someone was watching them, particularly the idea that it could be their stalker. Both men took the steps two at a time, and then barged into Vance's office. Tony didn't really think Vance would mind, seeing as Pam was gone for the day, and this was sort of important.

"Gibbs? DiNozzo? What can I do for you?" Vance said, standing up from where he was bent over a lower drawer of his filing cabinet, both hands full of files, and a confused expression on his face.

"What ended up happening with Jacobs, Leon?" Gibbs asked quietly, his voice holding just enough urgency to let the other man know that this wasn't a normal checkup.

Vance dropped the folders haphazardly on the desk, and came around to lean against the front of it. "He's restricted to base in Norfolk. Why?"

"Are you sure he's there?" Tony asked quietly.

"What's going on?" Vance asked, turning to grab his phone, and punch in some numbers.

"Got that horrible feeling that I was being watched, and I just want to make sure," Gibbs said, still not relaxing.

Vance got an answer on the other end of the line. "This is NCIS Director, Leon Vance. I need a status update on the whereabouts of a confined Marine by the name of Jacobs." There was silence for a moment. "Thank you." The phone stayed against Vance's ear as he addressed them again.

"Are you sure this isn't just the stress of the week getting to you, Gibbs?" Vance asked gently, but not too gently.

"I spent years as a sniper, _giving_ people that cold chill, and I've been under enough eyes in my life to know the feeling of a glance. It may not have been Jacobs, but somebody was just watching us in the bullpen." Gibbs tried not to sound too defensive, knowing he was being asked a legitimate question, asked with a concern Vance rarely showed him.

Vance nodded in understanding as the voice on the other end of the line came on. Vance nodded again, and relayed his appreciation to the person with the information. He turned and hung up the phone. "Jacobs is restricted to his quarters for the next two weeks, and has been reporting to the psychiatrist daily as required. He was just checked, and found to be in his room. Whoever was watching you couldn't have been him."

Gibbs nodded, and looked to Tony. Tony recognized Vance's statement as the acknowledgement that he believed someone really was watching them. He tried not to look too worried as he stared back at the blue eyes scanning him. "Let's go get some dinner. We'll figure it out if they follow us," Tony offered.

Gibbs considered the suggestion, and decided it would be better than going home, and leading someone there. "Not sure if I'm hungry, but I could definitely use some coffee." He turned to walk out of the room, leaving Tony and Vance standing there alone as the door swung shut.

"Let me know if anything is needed," Vance said, still staring at the door that just closed.

Tony saw the look on Vance's face. There was a mixture of concern and startled confusion as he was left in the wake of Gibbs' exit. "Will do." He went to follow Jethro out, and as he got to the door, he stopped at the sound of Vance's voice piping up again.

"How did your guys take the news?"

Tony smiled as he turned back. "I think everyone took it pretty good, well except Kathy of course, who packed up her desk with the fury of the Tazmanian Devil."

Vance cringed the slightest. "Yeah, I'm expecting a resignation letter, if not worse from her. Stay clear of her."

Tony nodded, and chuckled. "Uh, yeah! I mean, who wants to confront a pissed off pregnant woman with a gun and a black belt?" That's when he froze. "Shit. You don't think she's the one…"

Tony turned to run out of the room, and Vance rushed after him, surprised at Tony's reaction. They met up at the railing over the bullpen, looking down to where Jethro was turning off the light on his desk. After turning the tiny knob, he looked up to see what was taking Tony so long, and saw the two men standing at the railing. He looked confused, and came back up the stairs to join them.

"What?" Gibbs' blue eyes were icy as he looked into first Vance's, and then rested on Tony's, trying to read them.

"I'll go see if she's left the premises yet," Vance said, and moved back into his office.

"Could it have been Kathy?" Tony asked quietly.

"I don't know. It could have been anyone. Why would Kathy be watching me though? I would suspect she would be mad at you, not me." Jethro leaned against the railing, focusing on Tony's expression to see if he could find an answer.

"I honestly don't know. There's no way she could know about us. When we going through everything today, she tried to say that I was taking her job to get out from under you. Other than all three of us laughing at the comment, which was followed by comments about Rota and such, I don't think anything said or done could have given us away." Tony had taken a small step closer to his lover, and his voice had dropped. They were still a foot apart, and though it wasn't close enough for either of them, it was enough to make Vance clear his throat as he left his office, making sure he got his point across about their proximity.

"She tore out of here like a bat out of hell shortly after we met, apparently, and hasn't been back through either of the gates since. I think we're okay for the time being. Now, if you two don't mind, take all of the bad news with you when you go. I have paperwork to do, and I would like to get home to my wife and kids at some point this weekend." Vance gave them both a serious look before turning back towards his office.

Gibbs rolled his eyes, and nodded a little towards the steps. Tony followed him, walking side by side as they went down the stairs. Tony picked up his bag from next to his desk, and looked down at it, thinking about how it was the last time he would be turning off the light before he moved to the other side of the bullpen. The heft of the moment settled in as he stared off into space at his desk. He couldn't break the spell until a firm warm hand clasped his shoulder.

"Let's go eat, Tony." Jethro's voice was tender and understanding, something Tony wasn't used to hearing at work.

He turned to look into the bright blue eyes staring sadly at him, and he nodded. "I think I could use a drink, actually."

Gibbs nodded fervently at that. "Yeah, you and me both."

They pressed the button for the elevator, and it opened immediately. Both men got on, with the realization that if the elevator was opening immediately, then its last stop was on that floor, with someone getting off. Gibbs hit the button, and both men got back off of the elevator.

Something didn't feel right in Gibbs' gut, and that was never good. His eyes scanned everything he could see, and Tony's did the same. They both put their hands on their weapons, and began making their way through the bullpen, Tony tossing his bag back towards his desk as he moved past it to check the other side of the MTAC staircase. They were as silent as could be as they crept around.

Tony pulled his phone out as he walked, and dialed security. "This is Agent DiNozzo. I need to know the last person to get off of the elevator on the north side of the building, second floor, and I need to know yesterday." Tony listened as the guard on the other end of the line started clicking buttons to get him to where he needed to be to watch the footage.

"Nobody was on it. The door opened, but no one got off. Someone had to have hit the wrong button, or chose to get off on a different floor. What's going on?" Alex asked, one of the guards that Tony knew pretty well. They had started at NCIS around the same time. Tony trusted his experience, and they frequently joked around when Alex worked the front gate or metal detectors.

Tony straightened, and looked across the room at Jethro, who was still poking around every nook and cranny. "Not really sure, Alex. It's a gut instinct thing. Something has both Gibbs' gut, and my gut, uneasy. Felt like we were being watched, and now with the elevator waiting for us on a floor where we're the only people left for the day… just don't like it. The Director is alone upstairs, and we're the last ones out of here."

"The famous Gibbs Gut Instinct, huh?" Alex asked, not at all condescendingly. He had heard of "The Gut" multiple times over the years, as it was hollowed legend in the building.

"Yeah."

Alex starting going through the film for the other elevators. "Looks like the last person who got off of the elevator was the newbie, Lenny. He was doing his rounds. He got off on three. Maybe he bumped the wrong button."

Tony sighed in relief. "Thanks, Alex. You on all night?"

"Yeah, I have the third shift for a while now that the wife has gone back to work. Someone has to be home during the day with Danny."

"Oh, yeah! How is the little guy?" Tony walked towards Jethro, his defenses dropping.

"He's getting so big! Three months now. Sarah is doing great with him. She's going to be a great mom." Tony could hear the smile in Alex's voice. He was happy for the guy, knowing a bit of his past, and how much Danny meant to him.

"That great, man. I'm going to head home. Will you just keep an eye out for the Director until he leaves?" Tony asked, staring Jethro in the eyes as he approached him.

"Sure thing. I'll keep the cameras up, and make sure Lenny is doing his rounds right. I'll probably be taking a swing through there myself soon."

"Thanks, Alex. Have a good night." Tony hung up the phone. "Alex said that the last person to use the elevator was the new guard, Lenny. He got off on the third floor, and Alex thinks he probably just pushed the wrong button, being new to doing rounds. He's promised to watch the floor until Vance leaves." Tony watched as Jethro took a deep breath, and relaxed a little.

"Balboa's on call this weekend, right?" Jethro asked, running his hands over his face.

Tony looked at him confused. "Yeah?"

"Good. I need a drink. A few of them. Let's go." Jethro headed past Tony for the elevator again. Tony's eyebrows rose, and he quickly grabbed his bag, and followed Gibbs into the elevator.

"Where do you wanna go?" Tony asked.

Jethro looked over at Tony, and suddenly it was as if though it got ten degrees hotter in the metal box. Tony saw the change in Jethro's eyes, his expression, and his body language. "Home."

Tony smirked back at his lover, letting his eyes drift up and down his body. "Home?" he asked, his now fiery eyes meeting Jethro's smoldering stare.

All Jethro could do was nod before the elevator doors opened. They emerged, and headed straight for the car. The doors closed, and Tony reached for his seatbelt, knowing that Jethro would be driving ultra-fast at this rate. As he turned to snap it in place, sure hands pulled him forward by his shirt, and Jethro's lips were pressed against Tony's fiercely. Tony pulled Jethro's hair as his hands moved to the back of the head kissing him, keeping it pressed against him as they both fought to take what they needed. When they finally pulled back, gasping, Tony swallowed hard, and rested his forehead against Jethro's.

"I want to go home, get drunk, and have the sloppiest, filthiest sex of my life, just letting this week dissolve away, and I want to fall asleep against you, and not wake up until noon tomorrow, then do it all over again sober."

Jethro didn't reply, he simply sat up, put his seat belt on, and turned the keys over in the ignition. That was as much of an agreement as Tony needed.

Ten minutes later, they pulled up outside of the Jethro's favorite liquor store, and forty dollars later, they were driving home. Tony dialed the number of their favorite Chinese place as they got back on the beltway, and ordered their usuals. Jethro took Tony's hand as they got off of the exit, and didn't let it go until they pulled into the driveway. They didn't say anything, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was simply the result of decompressing from the crazy day they had just made it through, and the week they had changed so much during.

Once they made it into the house and secured their weapons, they headed for the kitchen to grab glasses. Tony poured his scotch over some ice, and Jethro poured a heavy glass of dark bourbon. They both started in on it before backing away from the counter, and were topping their glasses off when the doorbell rang.

Tony peaked through the glass panel next to the wooden door before opening it to the delivery guy. He paid him, tipping well, and then took the food into the living room, where Jethro had brought their glasses. They sat on couch together, pulling cartons out of the bag and opening them before handing them off to one another. Tony removed his tie, and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt. He took another drink of his scotch, and then dug in, leaning back against the couch.

"So, what happened with Kathy today?" Jethro asked, feeling out of the loop and hating it.

Tony smirked. "Well, Ducky apparently talked to the guys, and then to Vance, because he was still there when I was beckoned. I walked in, and he looked _pissed_ \- seriously pissed."

"Vance or Ducky?" Jethro asked as he paused between bites of his lo mein.

"Both, actually, but I was referring to Vance. I'm sitting there next to Ducky when Kathy shows up, and she's all," Tony's voice piped up an octave to mimic Kathy. "' _I don't know what you're talking about, but I can fix it!'_ and Vance is like, how did he put it? Oh, yeah, he said, ' _I don't want to take that chance,_ ' and then he started saying that he'd heard about how she wasn't training her men, and _then_ Ducky called her out and laid into her about the Northridge case, and _then_ she started in saying that if people have PTSD like Critten, they shouldn't be cleared for the field, and then _**I**_ went off. She'd never even read his psychological profile…"

Tony took another drink of his scotch, letting it slide down his throat like a gentle lava. He was starting to feel it, and hummed in appreciation.

"I read the profile to her, well, almost yelled it at her, and then she tried to lay into me, saying that I was after her job to get out from under you, and that's when Ducky and I laughed, and Vance tried not to, but it was pretty obvious he wanted to. I told her about how I'd been offered Rota forever ago, and that I'd much rather stay where I was, but things change, and it was time to move on. Oh! And then Vance tells her something he hadn't told me. He said that he had been planning on offering me MCRT lead slot in Maine when Scott Hauser retires in September." Tony took another bite of his cashew chicken, and realized that Jethro had stopped mid-bite to look at him.

"What?" Tony asked hesitantly, unsure of the look in his lover's eyes.

"He was going to send you to Maine?" he asked.

"He was going to try. I wouldn't have accepted; we all know that. I think that's what he was talking about last week when he said I could be looking at another team lead position, and I told him off. I think after that conversation, he knew I wouldn't have accepted it, so he never bothered asking. He probably just threw it out there to convince Kathy of the validity of my reassignment." Tony shrugged it off and went back to his chicken.

Jethro started eating again, the gears turning in his head. He had come so close to losing Tony. If they hadn't of gotten together, or if Kathy hadn't ended up pregnant, Tony could be heading to Maine. He knew that Vance could have forced Tony to take the position up there if he wanted to, but he allowed them to stay together by giving him Kathy's position in the interim while they figured something out.

He was surprised to find himself feeling grateful to Vance. He knew that Vance could have made their lives hell, but he hadn't, and Jethro was somewhat confused by that. He sat the carton on the table, and picked up his glass, downing it. Tony had said that he wanted to have sloppy drunk-sex to forget about everything, and Jethro was definitely seeing the merit in that. He grabbed Tony's almost empty glass, and took it to the kitchen to top them off.

When he returned to the living room, Tony had finished eating, and took the glass with a smile and thanks. They both downed half of their glasses in one deep drink.

Jethro sat with one leg crossed in front of him, turned sideways, an elbow on the back of the couch as he stared at Tony, who lounged in the corner, wedged between the back cushion and arm. He let his eyes skim down Tony's frame, imagining his lips along his skin, tasting and smelling him. He took another drink from his glass, licking the residue from his lips. His eyes met Tony's, and he saw the same fire in them he felt coursing through his veins, and he knew that Tony would always be under his skin. Tony finished his glass in another long swallow, making Jethro smirk.

"Forgetting yet?"

Tony looked at his glass. "Almost. You want some more?"

Jethro finished his glass quickly, and handed it to Tony. Tony was pouring another very full glass for each of them, when he felt firm arms come around his waist. He hummed at the touch of Jethro's lips to his neck, and tilted his head to allow better access. Jethro gladly kept suckling and kissing Tony's neck, nipping a little as he tried to hold back the full attack he felt aching to be released. He let his hands coast up Tony's stomach, feeling the muscles there, exploring slowly with his fingers.

Jethro's mouth moved to Tony's ear, but instead of saying anything, he just sighed heavily, letting the warm air glide across Tony's lobe, making him shiver. His fingers found the buttons on Tony's shirt, and began slipping them apart at an agonizingly slow pace. Tony felt his heart pounding so hard that his chest rose and fell against his lover's touch, and he knew that nothing had ever felt so sensual as the tender way that Jethro held him against his body, taking his shirt off, and kissing his neck. In that moment, everything dissolved away like had wanted it to, and nothing else mattered. He was with the man he loved, and was being taken care of.

Once his shirt fell open, Jethro ran his fingers up and down Tony's chest slightly, barely grazing his nipples. "Come to bed with me, Tony," Jethro's husky voice whispered into Tony's ear.

Tony turned in Jethro's arms, and one hand landed on his chest while the other went to the back of his head, pulling him in for a deep, slow kiss. Their bodies pressed against one another, Jethro's arms pulling Tony against him possessively, and Tony's arms coming up around Jethro's neck. The kiss was unyielding, slow, deliberate caresses of the warm wet muscles in each of their mouths sliding over one another, taking their time to taste the flavors being offered up, and conveying so much more than sexual passion.

Tony felt his entire body shaking, and when they finally broke the kiss, and he felt Jethro's breath shaking against his lips, and felt the muscles under his arms quivering. Tony knew that this was entirely different than what they had been through already. This was more passionate than anything he had felt with anyone, and he knew it wasn't going anywhere. This was them- raw, passionate, possessive, loving, emotionally exposed, and it felt like something in him was merging with Jethro. He needed that merging to become physical desperately. He took Jethro's hand, and let his lover lead him out of the room and up the stairs to their bedroom.

Once they were inside and standing next to the bed, Jethro turned to Tony, staring deeply into his green eyes. He released Tony's hand to let his hands slide up Tony's stomach again, this time all the way up to the younger man's shoulders, sliding the shirt down his arms.

Tony's eyes closed as he shivered at the sudden chill that went across his back. They stayed closed as he felt the warm hands caress his stomach again, relishing in the touch. The hands left his body for a moment, but he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes, still lost in the sensation.

A moment later, Jethro took Tony's hands, and laid them across his stomach, having removed his shirt. Tony hummed in appreciation of the firm body under his fingers, and opened his hazy eyes as he let his hands glide up Jethro's chest, feeling everything offered to him. Jethro's hands went back to Tony's waist, pulling him towards him. Their lips met again, and the kiss felt like it was unlocking something so deep inside of Jethro that it left him exposed, sharing everything with Tony that he had never shared with any of his ex-wives, something he had locked away since losing his girls.

Jethro let his fingers move to Tony's belt, working it loose slowly but surely, enjoying the hands against his chest and shoulders, the mouth against his, and the warm body against him. Tony's hands slid down his stomach, and began prying his belt open. Jethro couldn't help but moan just a little into their kiss. He unbuttoned Tony's pants, then let his hands settle on Tony's sides before sliding down his lover's thighs, pushing the pants down as he went, and then sliding back to grasp Tony's ass, squeezing the firm globes. Tony groaned into his mouth, and then Jethro felt his pants falling to the floor, pulled down by the weight of his belt and wallet with a clunk.

Jethro turned Tony's body so that he fell backwards on the bed, and then climbed up him, straddling him as he bent to reclaim the swollen lips below. The kiss resumed, slow and penetratingly perfect, both men trembling at the intensity of it all. Jethro finally let his lips pull back, to land a mere few inches away on Tony's neck. He let his lips drop kisses all the way down Tony's body, raising goose bumps as he went, and eliciting small gasps and moans from the younger man.

Neither man said anything through it all, letting their actions speak for them where words would fail dramatically. Jethro got into his nightstand drawer for the lube, and made short work of spreading some on his fingers. He leaned over Tony, taking his lips again gently as he slid his fingers into him, loosening the tight muscles to take his width.

Tony was sure that he was flying and melting into the mattress at the same time. He couldn't tell which way was up or down, all he knew was that so much emotion was being conveyed right then, and there was absolutely no way that he would ever be able to explain how powerful those feelings were to anyone. It was perfection wrapped in ecstasy, bliss dipped in innocence, and something that was the very essence of everything good in the world.

A minute later, he felt the head of Jethro's cock pressing against him, and then slipping into him. He gasped at the sudden relief of finally being close enough to one another- the relief of finally merging with his lover. He felt the slow and affectionate way that Jethro slid in and out of him, not rushing, not animalistic, yet still as open, as exposed as when he was when he lost control with Tony. It was incredible, and Tony felt loved in ways he never had before.

The tender, powerful movement continued for what felt like hours, both men riding that razor sharp edge between sanity and orgasm. Neither was in touch with reality anymore, lost only in the sensation that they gave one another. Jethro shifted slightly to be able to hit Tony's prostate, and Tony let out a loud whimper, his breath caught in his chest, unable to escape. The beautiful way that Tony's face displayed the intense pleasure he was feeling, made Jethro's cock twitch violently. He finally sped up his thrusting, making sure to hit Tony's prostate as often as possible.

Both men were pushed over the line quickly after that, tumbling into the black hole of an orgasm that made them shake, cry out, tense and then melt into a sticky pile of sweaty, sex covered man. Both men passed out, unable to retain consciousness at the way the orgasm ripped every ounce of energy from their bodies.

When they regained awareness, Tony rolled over on top of Jethro, taking his lips in a desperate kiss. When he pulled away, he stared down into Jethro's blue eyes looking up at him in glazed amazement. Tony ran his hand down the side of Jethro's face, cupping it, and watching those eyes.

"It's all worth it. Every change, every pang of sadness as we realize something else we won't be doing together anymore… the responsibilities, the trials, the arguments… balancing our schedules, hiding from some people, letting some in… it's all worth it, if I get to kiss you like that, and have you look at me like this."

Tony's smile made Jethro smile, and pull Tony back down to him for another breathtaking kiss, rolling him over so that he was now on top of the younger man. "Definitely worth it," Jethro said, bending down for another kiss, running his hand down to Tony's cock, stroking it a few times until it was hard again. Tony groaned into his mouth, and Jethro suckled on his tongue, making him whimper as well. When Jethro added a twist to his strokes, Tony gasped, breaking the kiss, and breathing heavily. Jethro's forehead fell against Tony's, and they breathed one another's exhales as they panted together.

"Jethro? Fuck me again? Please?" Tony asked quietly, trembling with need.

Jethro groaned, Tony's words lighting a fire that tore through him like a freight train. Before he knew what he was doing, he was positioning himself against Tony's slick entrance again, letting himself sink deeply into the warm, tight heat he offered.

"Fuck, yes!" Tony cried as Jethro pulled his legs up by the spot under his knees, creating a new angle to thrust in and out of his lover by. He pulled Tony up towards him with every thrust, drilling deeper and deeper.

"Don't stop! God, don't stop!" Tony shouted.

Jethro sped up, feeling the need increasing. At this point, Tony's hips were no longer on the bed, hoisted in the air as Jethro took him over and over again. Tony grabbed the sheets, fists tightening around them as the orgasm began to run up his spine, exploding behind his eyes with a loud roar. Tony's cry filled the air as he came.

Jethro kept pumping into his lover's body as it became limp in his arms. "Tony… Don't ever wanna stop… Never… never wanna let you go…"

"Don't…" Tony barely said from his orgasmic fog. "Never… Love you... Don't go... Never let you go."

Jethro couldn't take it anymore. It felt too good, and Tony's soft words made it too hard to hang on. He halted, his body locking, then jerked in spasms as he came. His head fell back, gasping sounds coming from his throat when it would allow him to breathe. He finally dropped Tony to the bed slowly, pulling out of him, and falling onto the mattress next to him.

Tony reached a hand up to gently caress the heaving chest next to him while he got his own breathing under control. "You know," he said when he finally started getting his breath back. "That was so much better than super sloppy drunk sex."

Jethro turned to stare into the bright green eyes staring at him, a smile breaking out onto his face. "Hell, that might have been the most…" his voice dropped off, and Tony couldn't believe he saw the pink blush creeping over his lover's face.

"Oh, my God. Leroy Jethro Gibbs, are you blushing? Wow, you are!" Tony stared at Jethro, mouth open in amazement. "Wow. You know you have to finish what you were saying now," Tony said seriously, in such a gentle tone, that Jethro felt compelled to do it.

"That was the most emotional love-making of my life." The pink tone deepened on Jethro's face, but his blue eyes shone brighter to compensate, and Tony felt himself extremely touched. His mouth hung open a little as he looked at Jethro, wondering if he should ask the question he found at the forefront of his mind.

Jethro could tell there was something Tony wanted to say, and in such an honest moment, he needed to feel that Tony could be open with him to. "Ask?"

Tony swallowed, scared of opening this door. "Are you sure?" he said, his voice cracking.

Jethro's hand moved up to caress Tony's face, encouraging him, scared of the question, but needing to hear it.

"What about Shannon?" Tony asked so quietly that he squeaked.

Jethro felt the sad smile cross his lips. His eyes got this far off look in them as Tony watched him contemplate the answer. He thought after a long moment of silence that his lover might not answer after all, and then his voice came out softly. "Shannon and I were young- really young." Jethro took Tony's hand, and held it to his chest, making Tony finally let go of the breath he was holding, and smiling encouragingly at Jethro.

"We were both very inexperienced when we got together, and it took us a while to find that natural rhythm with each other. And I hadn't been through everything then that I've been through now. It wasn't… it wasn't painful to let her in. We hadn't been through the same things you and I have been through. Shannie and I were together for eleven years. There was definitely passionate love-making, but… when I'm with you, there's this powerful undercurrent of things happening in me that I don't understand. All I know is that I can't get enough of you, and not just physically. It's healing, and I never thought anything would be able to fix everything that has been so broken in me for so long. I trust you, and I love you, and when we make love, I feel like I can finally express to what extent I've been able to let you in, and just how much that means to me, because obviously, I'm not so good with talking about it."

Tony sat there in shock, his eyes growing wider as Jethro talked. "I think-" his voice broke, and he cleared his throat. "I think you just said it perfectly. I know exactly what you mean. It's taken me ten years to let you in this far, and it means so much to me, that words would never be able to say it."

Jethro gave him a sideways smile. "You know what I'm thinking right now?"

"That we really need a shower because I have cum drying and crusting up in my chest hair, and we're lying in a puddle the size of our backyard?" Tony said, shifting uncomfortably on the bed.

"Yeah, pretty much." Jethro chuckled, and tapped Tony's hip before he rolled off of the bed.

They made their way into the bathroom, and got into a hot shower together. They soaped each other up gradually, kissing softly, and running their hands over each other for touching's sake, just needing to be closer to one another. When the water started turning cold, they got out and dried off. "I know we changed the original plans, but I'm still planning on sleeping until noon tomorrow, snuggled up against you."

Jethro smiled at his lover, reaching forward to plant a quick kiss on his lips. "That sounds great, Tony." They headed back into the bedroom, flipping the light off, and crawled into bed.

Tony's arm came across Jethro's chest, and his arm landed on the strong shoulder beneath him. Jethro's arms came around Tony, holding him close as their legs interlaced, tangling with one another. "I love you, Tony."

"I love you, Jethro. Twenty years from now, we're going to fall asleep just like this, and I'm still going to love you."

Both men smiled. "Sounds perfect, Tony."

"Yeah, it does." They fell asleep holding one another like that, thinking about having years of holding one another, and making love together.

…-NCIS-…

Tony's phone was ringing on the nightstand, but in his dream, it wasn't the ringtone that he had set for his new team that he heard, but the sound of sirens. He turned around to see the world melt away into a crime scene, complete with ambulances and police cars.

In that way that dreams could be, there were a number of things out of place. Tim was sitting at a desk in the yard of the house they were in at, an antiquated box of a monitor in front of him, and a typewriter instead of a keyboard. Ziva was combing the scene in a long red silk gown, and a bright pink bow in her hair, that somehow reminded him of Alice in Wonderland.

Tony moved forward to see what was happening behind the yellow tape. He stopped in his tracks at the sight. Parke was sitting in the yard, holding the bloody corpse of Elly against him, crying hysterically. Tony felt Jethro's hand grabbing him by the shoulder, and heard him asking if he was okay, but the words sounded like they were coming from underwater. That's when Tony suddenly woke up with a gasp, sitting upright with a jerk.

Jethro's voice was clear this time. "Tony! Wake up!" finally getting through to him as he sat up.

Tony felt the strong hand on his shoulder, supporting him. His breathing came in pants, and he ran his hands down his face.

"Nightmare?" Jethro asked, quiet concern coloring his voice.

"Yeah. Really messed up. Everything was fine, normal dream, then suddenly we were on a scene, and Elly was dead." Tony shivered involuntarily. "It only lasted a minute, I think. Sorry I woke you."

"Actually, your phone woke me. It went to voicemail. Better check it." Jethro pulled Tony into his lap, and handed him his phone. Protective arms came around Tony's shivering waist, and Jethro rested his chin on Tony's left shoulder.

Tony looked down at his phone, and scratched his head. "Why would he be calling me from the office this late?"

"Who?" Jethro asked quietly, feeling Tony stiffen in his arms.

"Parke." Jethro let Tony sit up to check his voicemail. He could only hear a voice faintly, but Tony's expression told him something wasn't right.

Tony listened to Parke's barely-calm voice tell him to return his call immediately. He thought of his dream, and felt his heart start racing all over again as his fingers tapped the phone to place the call. It barely started to ring once when it was answered.

"Boss?" Parke asked.

"Hey, what's going on? What's wrong?" Tony asked, trying to sound calm himself.

"We got a problem. Elly and I came in to find something we needed, and it's not good…" Tony swallowed hard.

"What's not good, Greg? Talk to me," Tony demanded.

"Someone has gone through all of your drawers. The entire MCRT's area in the bullpen is tossed. Looks like a rush job. Someone was looking for something." Tony jumped up from bed.

"I'll call Gibbs. Don't let _anyone_ near the bullpen. Caution tape it, and tell security they are in no way shape or form to touch anything." Gibbs was right behind Tony, pulling clothes from his drawers to slip on. He wasn't sure what was going on, but it didn't sound good at all.

"Got it. We'll be waiting for you."

Tony heard Parke holler for Critten to tape it off. "Tell him I want him pulling video surveillance right away. I'll be there in twenty." Tony hung up the phone, and pulled on some boxers. "Someone has tossed the bullpen. Gone through all of our stuff looking for something."

"What? Why the hell would they do that for?" Jethro asked, tucking his shirt in before he zipped up his pants.

"Hell if I know. I wonder if this had anything to do with your ghost yesterday," Tony asked as he pulled his shirt over his head.

"No such thing as coincidences. I'll call Abby, you get Tim and Ziva. Try Ziva first. Abs and Tim might be together, again." Gibbs finished belting his pants, and reached for a jacket from the closet. His phone was already against his ear, ringing Abby.

Tony slipped a jacket on over his button down, going tieless for the moment, but grabbing one as he headed out of the room to slip into his bag. He dialed Ziva on the way down the steps, and was explaining the situation as he got to the living room. Jethro took Tony's gun from the lockbox, and loaded it, handing it off while talking to Abby. Tony holstered it, then slipped his badge in his jacket. He heard Jethro's clip slide into place, and then they were on their way out the door, slipping on coats, and Tony slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Tim is with Abby. They'll be there in twenty," Jethro said as they got into the car.

"Ziva is on her way as well. This is crazy. Who in the hell can we think of that would want to rummage through our files? There's nothing in there that isn't available elsewhere- at least not in _my_ desks or cabinets. It just doesn't make sense."

"Would McGee have anything in his desk to worry about?" Jethro asked, getting into "Boss" mode.

"I don't think so. Probie takes anything sensitive home with him every night, and updates the encryptions on everything every three days, more frequently if we don't have a case. Stuff that he doesn't take home with him gets stored in Abby's lockdown room." Tony was on his phone, texting Abby about asking McGee if he could think of anything sensitive that would be in his drawers. He was half surprised when a real answer came back instead of a perverted comment that referenced underwear.

_T says his desk is clean. He just did a data drop Friday in the lab._

Tony sighed. "Probie's desk is secure. Nothing was there."

_Thanks Abs. Do me a favor? Will you start a strong pot of coffee when you get in? We both could use some._

Tony rubbed his temple, glad that they hadn't consumed any more scotch or bourbon the night before than they did. "So much for sleeping 'til noon," Tony scoffed.

Jethro took his hand for a moment, and squeezed it before having to let go to retake the steering wheel. He was driving too fast to maneuver one-handed safely on the wet roads. "We'll find out who did this on the security cams, break them to find out _why_ they did it, and then be home by noon. We can sleep then," Jethro said, somewhat distractedly as he swerved around a car in their lane with his hazards on, and a very flat tire.

"Promise?" Tony asked, sounding every bit like a let-down child.

"I promise. When we get this guy, we'll go home, get all warm under the covers, and sleep until you can't sleep anymore." Jethro flashed Tony a smile, and that's all Tony needed.

"Alright, let's do this." Tony sat up straighter immediately, dialing Vance to update him on their situation.

The Director's groggy voice came through the phone. "Vance."

"Director, it's DiNozzo. We've got a situation, sir. We're all on the way in right now because someone has apparently trashed the MCRT's side of the bullpen looking for something. We have no idea what, but Parke and Critten came in, and found it tossed, and called. So far, none of us can think of anything worth hunting for in our desks or cabinets, but we've got Critten searching the tapes to see who it was." Tony could hear the groan on the other end of the line.

"Tell Gibbs that you just beat him out for the person who has delivered me the most bad news so far this year. Between the two of you, I'm going to be gray by summer."

"Not an accolade I was going for, sir, but I'll let him know." Tony shook his head, and rolled his eyes despite replying with a deadpan tone.

"I'll be in soon." The phone clicked in Tony's ear, and Tony stared at it a moment.

"Vance is taking phone etiquette tips from you. He says that I have won the "bearer of bad news award", and sends his love." Tony was going through his phone to dial Parke as he talked, and Jethro smirked at his comments, but didn't say anything so that Parke wouldn't hear him in the background.

"We should be there in five. Pulling up now," Tony said without any real greeting.

Gibbs turned to him as he pulled into the Yard. _Sounds like_ Tony's _taking phone etiquette from me, too._ They pulled up to the check-in booth, and were greeted by Alex.

"I'm really glad to see you guys. My people are running through every inch of the building. We're missing the new guy."

"Larry?" Tony asked.

"Lenny. Yeah, he went on rounds, and then disappeared. We're worried he may have encountered your snoop, and ended up in trouble. We've got the place on lockdown. No one is getting out once they go in until he's found, just to warn you." Alex leaned out of the booth, but knew better than to lean against Gibbs' car.

"Thanks, Alex," Tony said, leaning across Gibbs, who nodded.

"I've got my walkie on me, and my cell if you need anything, or if you find anything. Let me know right away, please. Lenny may have been a weird bird, but he's my responsibility tonight, and I have a horrible feeling about this all." Alex looked genuinely distraught, and Tony felt for him. It's hard doing security in a building full of feds. Tony was well aware of how long it took Alex to earn the respect of the agents, and Tony knew his heart was in his job. To know something like this had happened on his watch had to be taking a major toll on him. "I turned your guy loose in the control room to find whoever did this. We have guards around the entire building, and searching the campus. We'll find 'em."

Tony nodded again, and pulled back so that they could get into the garage. "You trust Alex?" Jethro asked quietly as he pulled into a parking space by the elevator.

"Yeah. He's been around for ten years, just had a baby boy. They'd been trying forever. He likes his job, and he's good at it. This is probably killing him."

They got out of the car, and Tony grabbed his bag from the back seat while Gibbs summoned the elevator. Once they got in, Gibbs pressed the floor for the bullpen, but Tony pressed the button for Abby's lab. "We gotta make a quick pit stop."

As the doors opened on the floor of Abby's lab, they could smell the coffee brewing. Gibbs was drawn to the lab by his nose without thinking. Abby was adding sugar to a cup for Tony, and Tim was putting himself a cup together. The pot wasn't under the dripping liquid. Instead, Abby had stuck a paper cup directly under the flow for Gibbs.

Gibbs ignored everyone, and stood directly in front of the coffee maker. Tony swore that he saw it stream faster into the cup under his lover's death glare. Once it was filled almost to the top, Tony stuck his cup under the stream, and Jethro removed his cup, putting it straight to his lips. He blew once, and sipped it. Then, after finding it tolerable, he took a big gulp. His eyes closed as he relished the taste, and Tony smirked at him. "Thanks, Abs."

"Thank Tony. It was his suggestion." Abby reached out and gave Tony a light punch on the arm.

Jethro reached over, and kissed Tony's check quickly without saying anything. Tony smiled broadly, his eyes on his coffee, ignoring the two pairs of eyes he felt on him as he blushed at the sign of affection. Tim was next to him suddenly, ready to switch out cups under the dark fountain. Tony swapped him places with barely a drip escaping during the exchange.

Less than five minutes after walking in, he put a lid on his cup, and headed for the door. "See you up there," he said, leaving all three of them behind him.

Gibbs turned to Abby and McGee. "We'll need you both running prints immediately. McGee, grab two cameras from lockup so we can take photos. Once we get the prints done, and we know that everything in your desk is accounted for, I want you to ask Critten if he needs help running through the surveillance footage. Abs, the faster the prints are taken care of, the better. We have a guard missing. His name is Lenny something. I need whatever information on him we can get." Gibbs started heading for the door. "And someone bring Ziva a cup of coffee." _I have a feeling we're going to need it,_ he thought as he got on the elevator.

Tony had run up the steps, taking a deep drink of his brew as he made his way into the bullpen. "Parke! What do we got?" he hollered, making his way across the room. He noticed two guards were moving around the room, looking towards the mess for clues, and Parke's eyes closed in relief at his boss's approach.

"Elly and I were working on something tonight, and we realized that we had left a thumb drive we needed in one of our desks, so we decided to come in and get it. We got off of the elevator, and as we approached the dividers, we could tell something wasn't right. Two steps closer, and I saw the place was trashed. That's when I called you. El and I were debating whether to call security or Agent Gibbs next when you called me back. We taped it off, and gave the guards your instructions. That's when they informed us that Lenny Santiago was missing. He's the new guard on staff. The Yard is on lockdown until they find them."

He moved closer to Tony so that only they could hear. "El is in the security control room going over footage, but someone had set the cameras for the bullpen to look the other way from those four desks. Something isn't right. Someone had to be able to reposition those cameras from that control room. They're in the ceiling." Parke nodded very slightly to the camera above his shoulder by the window, drawing Tony's attention to the small black dome by the exit sign.

"No details leave our team or Gibbs' team, understood?" Tony asked quietly.

"Yeah, that's what I figured." Parke nodded faintly.

"The only guard we tell anything to, is Alex Boehman, by cell or in person, no walkies, and only after you clear it with me first," Tony said just as quietly, making sure to emphasize how important the silence was. Parke nodded again in response.

Gibbs came into the bullpen, taking in how closely his partner and Parke were talking, and he wondered briefly if Tony had decided for sure that Parke was going to be his Second. It appeared so, but he knew that Critten's slightly longer experience could create problems. He approached the two of them, looking at Tony. "What do we got?"

Parke noticed the similarities in how Gibbs addressed Tony, compared to how Tony had just addressed him. He tried not to stare, but it was so hard with how closely the three were huddled. "We have an in-house issue," Tony said so quietly that Gibbs had to lean closer to hear. "The cameras were redirected before the search took place."

Gibbs simply nodded, and took another drink of his coffee, not letting his eyes or actions give away the news he had just received. Parke was impressed with how completely reactionless Gibbs was. There was no sign at all that he had just received news that there was a traitor amongst them.

McGee, Ziva and Abby all walked into the bullpen together from the elevator. Gibbs turned to them. "Stop!" All three stopped suddenly, almost running into on another. "I want someone fingerprinting the buttons in the elevator, especially the one for this floor. Abs, take care of it, will ya? I need these two here." Tim passed the fingerprinting kit off to Abby, who turned with a sloppy salute towards the lift.

Ziva and Tim ducked under the caution tape, and looked at the mess. Papers were strung everywhere, folders pulled from the drawers and tossed about, most open and now empty as their files littered the floor, their desks, and their chairs. Their drawers had been opened, the locked drawers pried open with what looked to be a crowbar by the marks.

"Campfire," Tony called, and they huddled in, too shocked by the mess to resist. "The cameras were redirected." Tim and Ziva both instinctively looked up to find the camera within their line of sight.

"But they're in mounted half globes. How- oh." Tim's face suddenly became devoid of all emotion, realizing their situation, and their need for discretion.

"I'm going to head to Gibbs' office to tell Abby, and call Alex. We don't talk to anyone but him, got it?" Everyone nodded, including Gibbs.

Parke stood there with his arms crossed, taking in everything. He made eye contact with Tony. "Lenny?" he asked so quietly that it was barely a whisper.

Tony stared back, looking Parke straight in the eye to convey his answer. Parke verified that he understood with the merest tip of his head. With that, the entire group knew that Lenny was their prime suspect, as well as a potential missing victim.

Tony got into the elevator with Abby as she peeled another piece of print tape off of the control panel. He took the print brush from her, and turning the handle over, used it to tap the 'Doors Closed' button, and then the 'Cancel-Stop' button. Abby stared at him like he had two heads, and he looked her in the eyes.

"All of the evidence is pointing to Lenny as the one who tore apart the bullpen. The cameras were moved." Tony shared an exasperated look with his friend, knowing she was well aware of how he felt about moles. Chip and Lee had him on the highest alert possible. "I don't want you alone until we find him. If you're not with one of us, you are to be locked in your lab, got it?"

Abby's eyes widened, and she nodded silently. After a moment, she smirked. "I kinda like the whole, 'Take-Charge Tony'. He's kinda hot, in that protective, knight in shining armor, ass-kicking kinda way." Abby wiggled her eyebrows playfully at Tony, and he rolled his eyes in return as he dialed Alex on his phone.

o-ncis-o

Tim handed a camera to Ziva, who began taking pictures as soon as she could power it on. Parke reached out, offering to take the other one from him, and he gladly turned it over. He pulled a glove out of his pocket to pull his drawer open. As he suspected, the line of thumb drives he had just replaced and encrypted after the data drop were missing.

Gibbs saw the face he made. "What's wrong McGee?"

"Eh, my new thumb drives are missing. They were blank, but I'd spent a lot of time encrypting them. So far that seems to be the only hardware taken. We'll have to pick up this mess to figure out if anything else is gone."

Gibbs nodded, going through his desk. He knew that the same would be true for all of them. "Get your desk dusted, and I want you to bring up any information you can get me, but don't put it up yet."

"Got it, Boss," he answered, and got his personal dusting kit from his bag to use until Abby returned with the larger kit from the truck.

Ziva interrupted to get photos from around his chair and desk. She made sure to get every angle, opening every drawer with a gloved hand. Tim switched to fingerprinting her desk in the meantime, getting the drawers and where it seemed most natural to rest his hands.

The elevator opened, and Tony and Abby came out with a sheet of prints and the larger kit. Tim labeled his current sheet for Ziva's desk and added it to Abby's stack. Abby got to work printing Tony's desk as he opened his drawers to see what was missing.

"Definitely an info-search. Everything with any value is still here."

"Yeah, we figured since they stole my USB drives. They must have been desperate for whatever information they were looking for to chance doing this." Tim handed his printing kit off to Ziva after finishing his desk, and started to search for information on Lenny.

Parke was still photographing the area around Tony's desk. He almost fell backwards while trying not to step on some folders, and bumped into Tim's desk. "Whoops! My bad, McGee."

"No problem," Tim said, meeting Parke's eyes for a minute as they smiled about his near miss. "Why were you guys here tonight, anyway?" McGee asked Parke, striking up a conversation.

"We couldn't find this thumb drive for this project we've been working on. El thought he had left it in his desk, but it's not there." Parke snapped another shot of the folders that had fallen by Tony's desk, making sure he could read the file number if it was blown up.

"Was it a silver Sony micro? 32 gigabyte?" Tim asked, sitting up to look at Parke again.

"Yeah! Do you have it?" The immediate look of relief on Parke's face brought a smile to Tim's.

"He left it on my desk today." Tim opened his side drawer, where he had left it. It was missing. "Well, it looks like it was taken, too. What was on it?" Tim didn't get a response, which caused him to look up at Parke. Everyone in the bullpen followed suit at the odd silence descending upon them. Parke was stock still, and white as a ghost.

Tony took the step forward and rested a hand tentatively on Parke's shoulder. "Greg? What was on the thumb drive?" Tony realized that his agent was trembling under his touch, and his eyes widened a little as the panic transferred to him.

"It… it was how to find Shane. We have to get it back. We have to get it back _now!_ " Parke's expression suddenly turned dark in that overprotective way that he got when Tony had asked him about Kathy and Elly, and it sent a chill down Tony's back. His normally calm and collected young agent suddenly looked lethal, and Tony's eyes couldn't leave Parke's for the life of him.


	27. Chapter 27

Tony stared at his baby agent, more than unnerved by the tone he had used, and the look on his face. After a moment, a million questions started filtering through the shock, like: Who is Shane? Why does Parke care so much about him? Why does he have a thumb-drive with "how to find him" on it? The questions gave way to more answers than he was willing to deal with. The possibilities overwhelmed him, and their personal ties to Parke, had him more than concerned.

The elevator dinged, and Critten emerged, rushing in and breaking the tense silence. "It was Santiago! He's the one that was going through your things. I have video confirmation of him in here, and leaving the Yard. He's gone." When he realized that everyone was subdued, he turned to Parke and Tony.

"He has the thumb-drive, Elly. He knows where Shane is." Parke's face went from angry, to terrified and defeated.

"That's it!" Tony said, coming back to life from the statuesque pose he'd taken at Parke's abrupt revelation. His voice was low and frustrated as he snapped at his agents. "You two- elevator! Now!" Tony shuffled over the folders on the floor, and pushed his agents towards the 'office'. "Someone tell Alex!" he called over his shoulder, his agents both look terrified as they entered the metal box.

The doors closed on them, and Tony pushed the stop button. He turned to the two of them. "Someone needs to explain to me _right now_ what the hell is going on here."

Critten backed up against the wall, looking at his friend, knowing that it wasn't his story to tell. He gave Parke a nod when he looked to him for support. They had gotten close, but he had no idea how to tell his friend's tale.

Parke looked at Tony, swallowing despite how dry his mouth was. He was coming to trust his new boss more than he expected, but this was something he had even kept from his wife. He took in Tony's expression, and thought about the night the Americana case ended. The conviction on Tony's face had been genuine when he had said, ' _I will NEVER leave you behind. …you are mine, and I take care of my own.'_ He'd certainly been proving that ever since.

"Shane is my brother. Not biologically, but in every other way possible." The words tumbled from his mouth, and he realized how relieved he was to tell someone else what was going on.

Tony listened attentively, for once not saying anything.

"When I was ten, he and I ended up in the same foster home. He was five. I…" His hands came up to run down his face, seemingly pulling at the tension of a painful memory. "I wouldn't let anyone fuck with him. We got pretty close. When we bounced next, two years or so later, I refused to go without him. They made me, of course, and a week later, Shane got the shit beat out of him. My foster parents of the moment were having their hands full with me. Everyone decided that maybe putting Shane and I back together would help. It did for a while. Still, over the next two years, we bounced three times. When I was fourteen, and Shane was nine, girls came into the picture, high school… I found my interests, and Shane found his.

"We bounced again when I was sixteen, and our new fosters were a pair of nightmares. I was emancipated, and was trying to get custody of Shane. In the meantime, shit went down, and Shane ran away. I tracked him down, and I tried to hide him with me, but it didn't work, and he became a ward of the state again. He was getting older, more angry, and their answer was to put him in a group home with more angry teenage boys. I spent whatever time with him that I could that year as I finished up high school, trying to keep his head on straight, but when I got a full-ride to Arizona, I had to take it. I tried to get him relocated, but that didn't work either. I called when I could, and when went to see him on fall break, and he wasn't there. He'd run away. The next time I saw him was when I visited him in prison five years later after seeing his name on a roster at work."

Tony absorbed the man's story, letting it sink in. Shane sounded like the only family he'd ever had.

"We regrouped. I visited whenever I could. I finally pulled him aside in a room away from everyone under work related pretenses, and was able to get the full story out of him. He wasn't the one to do the crime. I'm not saying he was squeaky clean- he _was_ in a gang, but he'd taken the heat for some fourteen year old. He sent the kid to New York to hide from the drug lord he was running from. The kid was playing courier for a $200,000 cash drop, when he got jumped. Shane was able to break in, and pull the kid from the scrap, but the punks got away with the cash. Shane took the kid immediately to the bus station, used what he had on him to put the kid on a series of buses to New York, hoping he could hide out in plain sight out there. Then, he went after the guys with the cash.

"He knew that if he went back to El Jefe without the cash, he'd not only kill _him_ , but go after the kid. He got the shit beat out of him, but he retrieved the bag. He ran, but didn't get too far before the police found him passed out on the side of the road with the bag. When he came to in the hospital, he was cuffed to the bed, and they informed him that the cash he had been in possession of had been reported stolen, and he was looking like their prime suspect.

"I made it my mission, and I pulled together enough evidence that they cleared him, but then the drug lord sent the rest of the gang after him. He took off, left me a note saying that he wasn't safe, and in order to keep _me_ safe, he was leaving town. I've been hunting for him ever since. I got obsessed, and Tiff made me promise to stop, but…" Elly came up behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"North Ridge," Tony said, his voice low but sure.

"Yeah," Parke shook his head. "Tiff got a job out here, and I came along. I had been deep enough into the system, and finding justice for Shane had felt so natural. It felt right, ya know? So I ended up looking into things, and in the end, I found myself here at NCIS. Then North Ridge happened, and Elly and I got to talking.

"I thought I'd tracked him down. Well, that _we'd_ tracked him down, but we weren't the only ones looking. I had stopped in trying to find him while in LA for Tiff's safety, but I couldn't stay away knowing he was in danger, and Elly was able to cover his tracks, so…"

"When he told me the situation, I started digging. I followed a few trails, pulled a few strings, maaayyyybbbbeeee side-skirted a few laws, but we have an area pinpointed that we believe he's been lying low. It's all on that drive. McGee taught me a new encryption method yesterday that will be a road block for whoever gets it, but it's not fool proof. We need to get to Shane before they break it, or they'll kill him."

"Why?" Tony asked.

The two men exchanged glances. "Half of the money was missing."

"Yeahhhh… that would do it," Tony said, trying not to roll his eyes. "I thought you said that the LEOs took the money."

"Yeah, but somehow, only $100,000 made it into evidence. Shane didn't even know how much was supposed to be in the bag, and it's not like he had time to stop and count it when running from the gang that jumped Jayson. We don't know where it ended up. Did the gang take it? Were there crooked cops on his case? Did the EMS get ahold of it along the way? Whatever. It doesn't matter. Shane's police report says a hundred grand, and the drug lord had been expecting two. So when he got out, they were hunting him down, thinking either he or Jayson had the other hundred." Parke was rambling now, all defenses up at the idea that Tony might consider that Shane really had the money.

Tony took a deep breath. "So where are we going?"

Parke looked up from the spot on the wall he had taken to studying. "We?"

"Hey! I told you- I take care of my own. This is now an official NCIS investigation. There was a guy undercover in our building, which very well may have been looking for this information! We're going to find out, but in the meantime, we need to find Shane and get him someplace safe." The look of relief that came over Parke's face suddenly made him look vulnerable. "Where is he Greg?"

"He's in one of the state parks in Pennsylvania. We believe Loyalsock," he answered.

"Or one of the surrounding smaller parks," Critten added.

Tony stared at the ceiling, throwing his hands up. "You've _got_ to be kidding me!" he whispered.

"What?" Parke asked, looking at Critten nervously.

"Gibbs grew up in PA, and if my geography and memory aren't failing me, not more than fifty or so miles from Loyalsock. I'm pulling him in, and the others. McBoyscout is an asset we can't pass up, and Ziva can track _anything_. She's like a hound dog." Tony saw the almost affronted look on Parke's face.

"We can do this without getting anyone else involved!" he blurted out.

Tony raised an eyebrow at him. "Probably, but time is of the essence here, and there's no room for maybes. We'll need them."

Parke turned around, slamming his hand against the wall, startling Tony. "Damn it! I don't want anyone else involved! It's not safe!"

Tony stepped up behind him. "You mean you don't want anyone else involved because you don't want to have to trust anyone else." Parke turned on Tony with an icy glare that Tony only stared right back into unflenching. "Don't try to deny it," Tony said softly, but pitiless. "It doesn't take a forensic psych degree to teach me about trust issues. Learned firsthand. Those people out there have taught me how. I trust every single one of them with my life, and Gibbs twice. You don't have to trust them, but trust me- if you want your brother safe, you want them on our side."

Critten reached out, and placed his hand on Parke's shoulder again. "Greg, we need all the help we can get now. It's gotten too big."

Parke looked into Elly's eyes, then into Tony's. He took a deep breath and nodded. "I just want him back," he said softly. "I just want him safe."

"Then you're going to have to trust me," Tony said. "Do you think you can?"

Parke looked at Tony, realizing that he expected an answer. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, Boss- I trust you."

* * *

Gibbs had glanced at Tony as he headed for the elevator, wondering what was about to happen. Tony's fierceness had him intrigued, but after one glance, he was right back to minding his own team.

"Alright people. We need to get this cleaned up, take stock, and someone, I don't care who, run a full background on Santiago. I have a call to make."

He headed for the break room, hoping to hear something as he passed the elevator that might satisfy his curiosity as to what was happening inside of it. Instead, it was oddly quiet, which piqued the curiosity even more. He didn't like feeling left out, but he knew that this was how it was going to be now. Tony has his own way of handling things, and his own team to mold. He was going to have to let go of the control, and let his partner shine.

He shook it off as he dialed Alex's cell.

"Boehman."

"Boehman, it's Gibbs. DiNozzo wanted me to call and tell you that Santiago is our snoop. Critten found him on the tapes. He also saw that he's made it out of the Yard. You can call off the search, and lift the lockdown." Gibbs heard the deep sigh on the other end of the line.

"Thanks, Agent Gibbs. Tell Tony thanks, too, will ya?"

"Yeah, I'll tell him," Gibbs hung up the phone, and contemplated making a pot of the disgusting break room coffee. He decided to make a trip down to Abby's lab to see if she still had some of the good stuff warm down there from that morning's brew. He headed for the staircase, and moments later found himself alone in Abby's lab. He stood there with the rest of the pot in his cup, the morning unraveling in his mind's eye.

_Why would Santiago wreck the bullpen? Does it have anything to do with what Parke was going on about? What if it didn't? What else could cause someone to infiltrate us just to go through our desks? When I find out who in the hell let him on our staff, I swear I'm gonna-_

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he was startled when he suddenly felt a hand on his back, and smelled Tony's soap. He smiled, and looked up at Tony, then the door to make sure no one had witnessed the caress.

"Should really be careful about that," he said softly, but with no real concern in his voice.

Tony shrugged. "I needed it. This is fucked up, Jethro." Gibbs looked at Tony as his face fell, and he dropped onto a stool. "I need your help."

Gibbs felt an unexpected happy flutter in his chest at the thought that Tony needed him. He tried to put his emotions on the backburner though.

"Whatcha need?" Gibbs sat on the stool next to him, and Tony began telling his agents' story.

"You want me to help you make through the area," Gibbs asked when he was finished.

"Well, if they can be spared, everyone."

Gibbs nodded. "Well, yeah, DiNozzo! I wouldn't leave them behind without someone to keep an eye on them!" He smirked at Tony, giving him a private smile to let him know that there was a bit of playfulness there, and it wasn't a "decaf" moment. Tony caught on, and smiled.

"Please, you know that I'm the one you always worried about the most when you left us alone. Like McGoodyTwoShoes or Ziva would slack off, or come in early armed with superglue!"

Gibbs started to chuckle, and then stopped. "If anything _ever_ gets glued to me at home, I'm locking you out of the bedroom for a month!"

"A MONTH?! Jethro! That's a little harsh! I mean, a week, okay, I'd understand, but A MONTH?!" Gibbs reached up and head slapped him. Tony winced, then smiled. "Feels better, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah, actually, I think it does." Gibbs smirked at Tony, and then handed him his coffee, offering him a drink. Tony took a gulp, surprised by the gesture, then handed the cup back, letting his fingers brush Jethro's during the exchange. They lingered for a moment before Gibbs continued.

"We need to make sure that's what Santiago was really after. We should get upstairs."

"Yeah. We're definitely riding alone to Pennsylvania though." Tony got up and headed for the door.

Something felt itchy inside of Gibbs as he watched Tony take the lead out. He was really proud of Tony, but there was a part of him that was still sad, and that aggravated him. He knew he couldn't take that aggravation out on Tony, and damn it all if he hadn't started considering Ziva and McGee's feelings on the job enough to curb it with them after everything they had done for him this week. He thought for the briefest of moments that it might be fun to torture the baby agents, but he shut it down immediately, knowing that Tony's intense protective nature of his agents would cause serious tension between them. _This is gonna be a long day,_ he realized, shaking his head. He picked up his coffee, and followed his former SFA out of the room.

===NCIS===

By the time Tony got upstairs, the bullpen was looking better. Tim and Ziva were piecing together folders as Abby sat at Tim's desk working up a background on Santiago. Parke and Elly were both sitting at Elly's desk, a laptop in front of each of them, as they pulled together as much information as possible about Shane and his whereabouts for the case.

The elevator door opened behind him, and he turned expecting Gibbs. Instead, he met the exhausted glare of Vance as he approached the bullpen.

Tony nodded. "Director."

"Sitrep, DiNozzo," Vance demanded.

Tony moved past him, heading for the stairs. Vance followed him, frustration simmering deeper at the understanding that if he wasn't going to discuss their situation in the bullpen, it was bad. Tony held the door to reception open while Vance made his way through with his belongings, and moved to unlock his door.

"The news that bad, huh?" he asked as he punched his code in.

"Yeah. It's messy, and it gets personal." Tony followed Vance to his desk, and stood there until Vance sat. He then sat, too, and started. "Our perp was security guard, Lenny Santiago. Critten got him on tape in the act, and again, leaving the Yard. He took all of the thumb drives out of McGee's desk. McGee himself didn't have any data on any of them- they were clean. However, there was one taken that Critten has forgotten on his desk while he was teaching him an encryption method yesterday."

"Agent McGee is teaching your man?" Vance asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's teaching Critten, yeah. They hit it off with all of their geek-speak. Definitely wouldn't turn down the opportunity of having him taught by one of the brightest minds on this side of the cyberwars. So they were encrypting a thumb drive, but not just _any_ thumb drive. Noooo… they had to be encrypting one with the location of Parke's foster brother, Shane, that he has been tracking for almost two years."

Vance ran his hands down his face. "So-"

Tony cut him off.

"It gets better!" he said sardonically. "His brother went underground because a cartel boss from California is after him, after he got out of prison that is, for being found in possession of a hundred K of the cartel's money. And it gets better! It was only half of the money, which he got the crap beat out of him retrieving, when his fourteen year old gang buddy got jumped transporting the full two hundred. He sent the kid out here somewhere, and went to get the money to give it to the drug lord so that the kid would be safe. He's lucky the cops got to him first. If he'd opened that bag, and found only half the cash was in there, while in the presence of the cartel boss, he would've been killed right then."

Vance could only stare at his agent as this point. _What's next?_ he thought.

"Abby and Tim are going to through Santiago's past to make sure that he was indeed here to find info related to this. The only upside so far, is that if he _is_ looking for Shane, he has no idea who Parke is, otherwise he would've searched Parke's desk."

"Why is he searching NCIS at all?" Vance asked.

"Critten thinks that some of the questions that they asked on their quest were probably traced somehow. They'd made calls from their work phones, hoping that they would be secure enough, and they used the wifi in the break room one night before Critten realized it wasn't encrypted. I'll ask McGee to secure it when we get back," Tony explained.

"Get back?" Vance asked, staring blankly at the man in front of him.

"Parke and Critten have discovered that Shane has been hiding in the Loyalsock State Park in Pennsylvania. We're going to secure him as soon as we confirm that he's what Santiago was looking for." Tony knew that this would be the rough part. "I need Gibbs' help on this," he said. "He knows those parks inside and out."

Vance sighed. "Go do what you have to do, but make damned sure he's the target first. I don't need all of you going off, and then find out that we're back her with a mess on our hands. And make sure you have sat phones with you in the woods. Walkies, you know the drill."

Tony smiled. "Oh, I know the drill. What do you want us to do about Santiago?"

"If he's looking for this guy too, I have a feeling you'll find him. If you can, bring him in. I want to know how in the hell he got here." Tony nodded, and got to his feet.

"Your first week better not be indicative of how the rest of your time as leader will be, DiNozzo. You're looking to be as much of a pain in my ass as Gibbs." He raised his chin, and stared at his agent.

"You'd be bored without us to keep things interesting, Director!" Tony said, turning to walk out, leaving Vance there shaking his head and smiling a little.

"Interesting- he calls it interesting!" he said as he pulled out the paperwork he'd need to file about Santiago's rummaging, and started on it.

#######NCIS########

Tony came back down the steps to find his team and the MCRT gathered around the plasma, Abby wielding the remote. They all looked up when he came in, but he noticed Gibbs' eyes first, full of questions.

"Filled Vance in. He told me that he needed solid evidence to link Santiago to Shane. So, what do we got?" His sights turned towards the plasma. Their nosy guard was on the screen. Tim began. "Leonardo Santiago was born of Mexican immigrants in 1986 in Los Angeles, been there his whole life. He had some run-ins as a youth, but no idea if charges were ever upheld. We're waiting on records to be unsealed. They're locked up tight. He actually worked security for a while before he moved out here suddenly three months ago."

Ziva took the clicker from Tim. "Spoke to his family, a friend and his former employer. All three told different stories about what kind of man he was. His mother told me that her son was still heavily involved in a gang he'd gotten into as a youth, but would not say more than he was a disgrace she hadn't talked to in almost three years. His employer didn't have any problems with him other than how he was occasionally late or left early because of, and I quote, "some street kids", that would come around needing money or some kind of urgent assistance. His _friend_ didn't seem like a friend at all. He made it very clear to me that he was eager to locate him, and to call him with any information we obtained. Needless to say, we will not be contacting him, unless we need a suspect of sorts."

"We're looking at a few scenarios here then. The first: he's still in the gang, and he's followed the trail out here to fulfill a bounty of sorts, and we need to be worried. Or-"

Parke jumped on his train of thought and cut in, "Or he got out of the gang, is flying right, and he's looking for Shane to find out where the kid ran off to."

"Or the gang is blackmailing him somehow, making him locate Shane for them in exchange to keep his past a secret, or for the safety of one of these street kids his boss referred to," Ziva offered.

"Don't like those odds. Gear up people," Gibbs barked, and everyone scattered for their stuff, including Parke and Critten.

Abby headed for the elevator. "I'll go get the gear together. See you all downstairs!" she called as she shuffled towards the box.

Critten, Parke and Tim all tossed laptops, chargers, and other gadgets into their bags. Tony picked up his bag, and looked at Gibbs. "I think I might need to run by my place, and get my boots and warmer clothes if we're going over the river and through the woods in this snow, Gibbs."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, silently asking if he meant his apartment or their house. Tony's slight cringe told him that this kind of stuff was still at the apartment. He nodded. "Alright people- back here in one hour. Go pack. McGee! Go tell Abby we'll be back in an hour. Make sure she knows where we're headed, and what we'll need. I'm running home."

Critten and Parke both looked to Tony for confirmation before they moved. "One hour guys. Go." They both took off running for the staircase.

Gibbs watched with interest. It amused him that both men deferred to Tony rather than follow his order, obviously loyal to their new boss. It reminded him of his team, and very specifically, Tony. It also wasn't lost on him how Tony had sounded uncertain while letting him know they couldn't leave right away. The transition had seemed to be going so quickly and seamlessly, that he had to admit he was feeling useless. Tony was a natural, and he should have seen it sooner, but that little moment in which he still needed Gibbs' approval had Gibbs feeling slightly back on kilter.

Ziva headed for the door to the staircase at a jog, knowing that she was going to have to email Dion to cancel their scheduled video chat that night before she left her house. She wondered if she might be able to get in a quick phone call with him on her way back to the yard since he was probably already awake, being close to noon in Greece. She turned the ignition of her car, and pulled out of her spot, eager to get home and packed so she could take her time getting back to the Yard. The idea of talking to her new beau put a smile on her face despite her exhaustion.

Parke and Critten had taken one car in, and so they knew that they were going to have to rush. They decided to split when they got back to Parke's place, and Critten would take his car over to his apartment, and grab what he needed.

They were almost there when Elly asked the question he was dying to know the answer to. "Tiff is due back today. What are you going to tell her?"

"Nothing about Shane until we have him back safely. I don't need to worry about her while I'm going after him with Santiago on our trail."

"Should we be concerned about him?" Elly asked, feeling like he was missing a piece of the puzzle.

"I don't know. He's born in '86. He's just a couple of years older than Shane. If he and Shane were in the same gang, with only a couple of years difference, you know they knew each other. Santiago might know enough to know the kinds of things Shane would do when confronted in a fight. I just wanna get to him before he does. Hell, he could have been the one to _teach_ Shane how to fight. I never let him fight his own battles as a kid… he was so small, so shy… I can't imagine him in a gang. Then again, last time I saw him, he'd beefed up a bit. Still smiling though, always smiling…" The ramble drifted off as they pulled onto Parke's street. Both men stayed where they were when the car came to a stop, and was turned off in the driveway.

After a long moment of silence, Critten squeezed Parke's shoulder. "We're gonna find him, man. He's a smart guy. We'll find him before it comes to all that." Parke nodded.

"Thanks for doing all this for me. I pulled you into my mess, and I shouldn't have, but we're so close now, and we wouldn't be without you. So, thanks."

Elly smiled at him. "That's what I'm here for. Now let's move!" Both men unclicked their seatbelts, and jumped out of the car. Parke ran up to his door, and Elly booked it to his car, pulling out less than a minute later to get to his place and pack.

-ooOO-NCIS-OOoo-

Tony and Gibbs had been left alone in the bullpen. "You gotta stop at the house?" Tony asked.

"Probably should. Let's go." Gibbs turned off his desk lamp, and headed for the elevator. Tony walked side by side with him. "We'll run by the house, and grab what we need from there. Then we'll hit your old place, get your things, and then hit the Beltway back around."

Tony nodded. It made sense. He was just afraid that if they both went into their house, he wouldn't want to leave. He was tired, and stressed, and he finally understood why Gibbs was such an ass all of the time. He was more than ready to take a nap in Jethro's arms before they tackled this big chase. Parke was counting on him though, and that idea drove him. This was what it was all about, right? Protecting people? Finding closure for people? Connecting people with the answers they were so desperate to find? Parke and Critten had been put through the wringer by Simmons, and he felt like this was his chance at offering redemption.

They made their way home while he thought about it. He knew that he should probably be thinking of what they would do with Shane once they found him, and whether or not he would come willingly with them, but instead, he was thinking about how his past and his team's pasts aligned, and how he might never get the answers he needed, but he could at least help them with theirs.

Gibbs noticed how oddly quiet Tony was being, and waited until they got to the house to ask about it. "You alright, Tony?"

Tony turned to him with a smile. "Yeah," he said. "Just thinking about all of this. It's kinda crazy when you think of how ironic it is."

"It's kinda crazy before the irony. At least we can get this out of the way, and hopefully move on to regular cases. If this would have popped up six months from now, things could be very different for everyone. For what it's worth, I think you're doing great." Gibbs felt a little weird saying it so blatantly, especially since he was still feeling pretty useless so far with all of it, but he knew that Tony deserved to hear it, and at the moment, needed to. He could tell by the way Tony lit up as he turned to him, eyes squinting as he looked at him.

"Thanks, Jethro. That means a lot." Gibbs grabbed him by the tie, and pulled him towards him for a quick kiss. Tony chuckled as they pulled apart.

"Come on. We've got forty-five minutes before we need to be back to the Yard. Let's pack what we can from here. Less to find when we get to your old place." Gibbs was already getting out of the car, and Tony followed, smiling. He liked hearing Gibbs refer to his apartment as his 'old place'. It wasn't just the idea that this was his home now, but the disdain that Gibbs had said it with, that let him know that he was wanted here.

"We really should make plans to finish moving everything soon," Tony said as they stomped snow off of their shoes inside the doorway.

"Was hoping to talk you into that this weekend, but it's going to have to wait now," Jethro said as they headed up to their room. They both moved towards the drawers, pulling out long sleeve tees and thick socks and underwear. Tony found his thermals in the drawer, and began to strip to put them on. Gibbs watched with delighted fascination as Tony disrobed, and then went back to packing as Tony slipped the long underwear on. "All of Ziva and McGee's nagging finally got to ya, huh?" he asked.

Tony stared at him for a moment, raising an eyebrow. "After I wanted to steal Ziva's thermals on a few cases last year, I got some for myself. Like I said, the cold and I haven't been friends for a while. They add the little something extra that I need, and I have a feeling I'll definitely need it today." Tony slipped a pair of jeans on over the thermals, and then a turtleneck. He packed another couple of turtlenecks in his bag, and another pair of jeans and sweatpants. His backpack was fairly full when he began wondering if he'd be stuck carrying it through the woods. He shrugged. He'd do what he had to at this point.

Gibbs packed his bag similarly, slipping out of his work clothes into flannel-lined jeans, a thermal shirt, a long sleeved tee, and a denim button down. He pulled his boots from the closet and laced them up over heavy socks, tucking his jeans into the boots. "What do you still need from your place?" he asked.

"Just my boots and heavy coat," Tony said, slipping a heavy sweater over his turtleneck before picking up his pack. He headed for the door. "I'm gonna grab something to eat. See you in a minute." Gibbs nodded as he tied his second boot.

Tony found himself in the kitchen, pulling the box of cereal bars out of the cabinet above the fridge. He took one out for himself, and put the rest in his bag for the journey. He grabbed what was left of the bag of coffee on the counter, and folded it shut, slipping it into his pack as well. He wasn't sure if Gibbs had any in his car, but he wasn't going to suffer through the caffeine-free version of his lover. He opened the fridge, and pulled out the milk. He checked the date and sniffed it before pouring a glass and downing it. Gibbs came into the kitchen, took Tony's empty glass from him, and did the same.

"We have twenty-five minutes. We gotta go," Tony said, heading for the door.

"Hey," Gibbs called after him. "Where's the coffee?"

Tony smiled. "Already packed it. Come on! We gotta go!" Tony slipped his coat back on, and Gibbs came in with a smirk to grab his heavy Carhartt off the rack, and slipped it on. Tony went to open the door, and Gibbs slammed it shut with one hand, then pinned Tony against it, kissing him deeply.

Tony was taken by surprise, but returned the kiss immediately. He felt the urgency of it, knew it was a kiss to promise more kisses soon, but understood their need to wait. It was a kiss to clear the air, get it out of their systems before they weren't afforded the privacy to repeat it anytime soon. Somewhere in the back of Tony's fuzzied brain, he realized that they would probably share many of these kisses over the course of their relationship. This was not the first, and it would not be the last. He made sure to savor the taste of the other man's mouth, the feeling of his lips against his, the heat from his body pressing him against the door, and as they finally pulled away, the way those beautiful blue eyes opened to stare into his while they panted.

"Mmm…" Tony wrapped his arms around Jethro's neck for a moment, giving him another quick peck on the lips. "Love you, too."

Jethro smiled, and kissed him again. When Tony tried to deepen it, Jethro pulled back and out of his hold. "Twe-" his voice cracked. He cleared his throat, and started again. "Twenty minutes now. Let's go." Tony smirked and turned around to open the door again. Jethro didn't stop him this time, and they made their way to the car.

Jethro drove like a bat out of hell to Tony's apartment. Tony ran upstairs, grabbed his boots and coat, and ran back downstairs in three minutes flat. They showed back up at the Navy Yard with two minutes to spare. They got out of the car, and headed for the elevator to see Parke waiting for it as well. "This should be interesting," Tony whispered as he looked up at Jethro.

"Why? Your heat is out," he whispered back.

"Mmmhm. Just really hate lying to him after he's placed so much trust in me," Tony whispered back.

"Lie today. We'll discuss the truth later," Gibbs whispered back.

The elevator opened, and Parke boarded it. When he turned around, he saw Tony and Gibbs making their way across the lot, and held it open for them. Both men jogged towards the lift, climbing in. "Thanks, Probie!" Tony said somewhat cheerfully. Parke nodded with a small smile. "So what do you plan on doing when we find Shane?"

"Explain the situation, and pray that he'll come with me. He can be a stubborn pain in the ass sometimes about the stupidest shit, but he has never passed up the chance to go somewhere with me. When he left Cali, it shocked the hell out of me. I knew how serious the situation was when he did that." The doors opened to the bullpen, and they all emerged to find Tim, Ziva and Abby all waiting for them. Parke's phone chimed, and he pulled it from his pocket. "El just got here. He says he'll meet us downstairs." He looked up from his phone at Tony, and Tony looked at Gibbs.

"Downstairs people! Come on." They turned around, Tony hitting the button again for the elevator, and it opened immediately. They all crowded in, shuffling to make room with their packs.

"Abby has more coffee brewing, Boss," Tim said, glancing over at him briefly.

"Coffee maker was the best piece of machinery to ever land in her lab," Gibbs said, staring straight ahead. The doors opened, and they all headed for the lab. Abby had a cup with each of their names already written on it, fixed the way she could remember them taking it, and two black for Critten and Parke, a baggie of mix-ins with them. Parke smiled broadly at Abby as she handed him his cup.

"Thanks! You can hang on to these," he said, handing her back the bag. "I just take it black. Elly will make good use of the sugar though." Abby smiled at him, and handed him Elijah's cup. "You're very welcome."

Tony noticed Gibbs' approving smile at the way Parke took his coffee, and smirked. Tony shuffled everyone towards the door, leaning in to kiss Abby's cheek. "Thanks, Abs!" he said. He noticed that Gibbs repeated the gesture on top of her head, and Tim gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"Be safe, Timmy!" she said quietly as he moved to follow everyone out.

"Always!" he said over his shoulder.

Tony gave him a smirk as they met up in the hallway, and Tim raised an eyebrow before grinning broadly. "Things still going good in McAbby-land, I see," Tony joked.

"Yup. You seem to be handling things well, too." Tim looked up at Tony, making sure not to look at Gibbs.

"Yeah. On all levels."

Tim nodded with a smile, glad to find that his friend was doing well. He had to wonder if things were going as well for Ziva. She had been pretty quiet since she arrived back at the bullpen earlier. He shot a look her way, and then to Tony, asking silently if the older agent has realized. Tony looked at Ziva, and saw the pensive look on her face. He wasn't too happy with what he saw. She looked lost in her own thoughts, and not at all present. He came up behind her, and pulled on her jacket, bringing her to a stop while everyone else went through the door to the NCIS issued car lot. Tim looked over his shoulder a moment before the door closed, taking in the two standing in the hallway together.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked. They didn't have time for anything other than a straight out question and answer conversation. He couldn't have her going into this situation if her mind was elsewhere.

Ziva looked at him, shaking her head. "I do not see how it is any of your bus-"

"Zee- look at me. We're about to go rummaging through the woods for hours in the snow while we try to find someone that someone else is already looking for. Get it out now while you have a chance." Tony's eyes softened as he took into Ziva's saddening expression.

"I tried to call Dion on the way back in, and he was not alone. He said he was hanging out with his best friend from childhood, Nigel, and his wife Stephanie, and that Nigel had gone to pick up their lunch. It is probably true, is it not? I am just being jealous and- and- and worried for nothing, true?"

Tony saw the pleading in his friend's eyes. "It probably is true. You'll know more when you get the chance to talk to him later. If I were you, I'd be suspicious of anything anyone I was in a relationship with did. Your relationship history has been extensively with a double agent and a CIA spy. Suspicion is the name of the game. Don't worry about it until you can prove it. Dion seemed pretty nice, and really into you at the bar. Give him a chance to prove himself. He's not CIRay or Michael. He's a regular guy. He doesn't have some sneaky agenda- well at least outside of _every_ man's agenda."

"I do not know how to do this anymore, Tony."

"What does your gut tell you?" he asked, hating the defeated look on Ziva's face.

"That it is his best friend's wife, and that I am being ridiculous."

"Trust that for now then. We have work to do. When it's all over, you can go Skype him, and find out how he has been spending his time home, and tell him about your jealousy issues. If he's worth keeping, he'll understand, and put you at ease." Tony smiled when Ziva started cracking a bit of a smile.

"I will try," she said.

"That's all I ask. Now let's go find this guy before my Probie has a heart attack." Tony opened the door, and let Ziva go first. He followed her out into the lot, where she found herself in a car with McGee behind the wheel already. Gibbs was waiting in a car with the trunk popped so that Tony could put his stuff in it, sucking down his coffee. Parke and Critten were loading stuff into the trunk of a third car, and taking certain things out to keep in the car with them.

When Tony put his bag in the trunk, he saw the accumulation of satellite phones and walkie talkies. He realized that they were already hooked into the car's system in order to charge on cradles, and closed the trunk lid.

As he got in and buckled up, Gibbs looked at him over his cup. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just had to go over something with Ziva. You want me to type this place into the GPS?" Tony asked, pointing towards the dash.

"Nope. I know where it's at. About fifty miles northwest of Stillwater. Camped there often as a kid with dad. A couple of times LJ was even with us. What I need for you to check on is the weather up that way, and the road conditions were going to come up against. If we need to make a detour, I'll need to know a good half an hour early." Tony nodded, and buckled up as Gibbs pulled out of the lot, not waiting for the rest of the group. Tony pulled out his phone, and began doing the required research. The weather didn't look too bad, but it wasn't that great either.

"We're fine until we get to Harrisburg. I'll check again when we get there. The roads up to that point are clear, and we're not expecting any more snow for a few hours, and even then, it's only flurries." Gibbs grunted the slightest bit, and nodded.

Tony plugged his phone into the charger in the console, and watched the world whip by around them. His mind wandered to their case, and around the many pieces of the puzzle. He drifted in and out of different ideas and questions until Gibbs broke the silence.

"What's on your mind?" Tony was startled, and confused. Gibbs had asked him more about what he was thinking over the past few days than the entire time they were simply co-workers and friends.

"Uhh…" he wasn't sure how to answer. "Well, a lot of things. The biggest question though, is where in the hell did the money go? And really, who the hell trusts a fourteen year old kid to transport that much dough?"

"You don't think there was ever a full two hundred in there, do you?" Gibbs asked, taking a glance at his suspicious lover.

"Maybe at first, there was, but I have a feeling it was long gone by time Shane got wrapped up in this mess. I think this Jayson kid ditched half of the money somewhere. Hell, he might have even planned to be jumped by those guys, letting them know what was being transported, that way when the money was lost, they took the blame, and he could take the portion he had stashed, and run. Would have been a smart move too, if Shane hadn't of come along, and broken up the fight. That kid could be long gone, that money set aside for a nest egg to blow through his whole young adult life."

Gibbs started thinking aloud. "But then Shane steps in, breaks up the fight, puts the kid on a bus out of the city, gets caught, it gets out that only half of the money is in there, and the kid can't come back to town to pick up his stash. He probably had some friend go get it for him."

"Some friend who would bring it to him? Say move across the country all of the sudden, and then go into hiding?" Tony asked, getting more and more suspicious with every minute his gears turned.

"I know this is the last thing we want to think-" Gibbs started.

"Oh, I'm thinking it. Shane ran off out of nowhere once he got out. He could have been contacted by Jayson, told where the money was, and Shane could have come out here to take it to him, in exchange for a cut. That sounds like a movie, but I can't place it." Tony sat back, trying to remember.

"You mean there's a movie about people stupid enough to hide drug money from drug cartel bosses? And stealing that money to head across the country with?"

"Yeah, but I can't think of it. It will come to me, don't worry," Tony said seriously. Gibbs just shook his head. Tony continued, "We can't be sure that's what really happened though. There's so many other situations available here. We just have to wait and see which one becomes a reality. Parke really isn't going to like the idea that his brother might have brought this on himself. I'm not sure if he can keep a clear head at the thought. I guess it would be a smart thing to test, but really, I just feel so shitty about the way everything else has happened, that I don't want to test it unless I have to."

"We'll wait and play it by ear, then. If we have to approach the subject, we will. We'll let Shane tell his story, and if everything lines up, we won't have to step on anyone's toes. The money could have been long gone before anyone went to retrieve it." Hearing Gibbs agree with what he wanted to think was nice, but he knew that it wasn't what his team needed. It was an odd experience. He took Gibbs' hand and interlaced their fingers.

"I need to tell him before that. There's a big trust issue on the line here, and I don't want to turn around and accuse his brother of something when the time comes, and have him feel like I've been harboring this big plot the whole time. He's had enough people stab him in the back over the years; I'm not going to start off on the wrong foot with him by being one of them." He cringed inwardly at the idea. Gibbs squeezed his hand in support.

"If that's what you think is the best course of action, then that's what you need to do," he said. It was strange and uneasy to have to follow Tony's lead on this, and he was trying to do his best. Having Tony override him was interesting, but he felt his control slipping further and further from him. He knew it was what needed to happen, was okay with it at the forefront of his mind, but every bit of control that he turned over made his stomach flip in a very uncomfortable way. That inner itch was making itself known again, and it needed to be scratched. He just wasn't sure how to do it.

Tony turned to watch Jethro's face as they drove. He knew that something was going on in his head that he wasn't sharing, and by the death grip he had on his hand, he knew it wasn't something good. They were still two hours from their destination. If he asked now, they might actually get over it by time they got to Loyalsock. He steeled himself, and pulled out his gentlest voice.

"Whatcha thinking, Jethro?" he asked.

Blue eyes turned to lock on green for a moment, and then went back to the road. He sighed deeply, knowing that he should just tell Tony what he was experiencing. Hoping that it would help, he opened his mouth, willing the words to come out. It took a moment, but they finally formed, almost painfully slow.

"I'm trying to get used to not being in control. You're doing… you're surpassing everything I would have expected so soon, and you don't need me. I'm both happy for you, and…" he couldn't quite pinpoint what the itch was he had been feeling.

Tony smiled softy at him. "You're sad, but _you_ don't get sad, you get angry. Pissed, frustrated, aggravated, _aggravating_ , and those things usually mean you get bossy, controlling, and everything that you feel like you can't be right now. God, this must suck for you. I'm sorry Jethro."

"Don't apologize," Jethro said reflexively. They sat silently for a minute, absorbing the truth that was now before them.

"Mercy," Tony said, suddenly realizing what they both were going to need by the time this case was over.

"Mercy?" Jethro asked, looking at Tony in confusion.

"My safe word." Tony looked back at Jethro with a crooked smile as he watched the realization come over his lover's face. It was a priceless blend of understanding, elation, and then fire.

"Mercy. I kind of like that. Almost sounds like you're begging." Tony watched Jethro's eyes turn darker as they considered a situation in which it would be used.

"Whatever you're thinking about, I want when this case is over. Whatever it is that you're imagining, whatever it is that you think is pushing me to the limits, I want to find out about first hand." Tony felt himself getting stiffer with each idea that ran through his head. He was struggling not to look down at Jethro's cock, knowing that it would be just as stiff as his own.

"Not sure if I'm going to be able to wait for the case to be over," Jethro said honestly, staring out at the road in front of them.

"What did you have in mind?" Tony asked, desperately trying not to rub his cock as the exhilarating tingle ran up his spine, giving him goosebumps.

Jethro watched Tony squirm in his seat from the corner of his eye and smirked. "I don't think I'm going to feel like driving back tonight."

"Oh, we are so finding this guy in record time," Tony said shifting again, trying to find a way to keep his cock from pinching in his jeans.

Jethro couldn't stand it anymore. "Take it out," he said, his voice commanding, and just a little colder than normal. Tony didn't hesitate to follow the order, understanding immediately what was happening. He unzipped his jeans, and pushed down his long underwear. His hand grasped his cock, and pulled it out, exposing it. He waited for the next order, just holding himself, not stroking, not trying to cure the ache, just listening for the next command.

A long few minutes went by, and nothing was said. For once in Tony's life, he didn't feel impatient. The way he was made to wait was just another aspect of Jethro's control over him that he relished in. The rest of the world seemed to fade away from around him, and he felt a little buzz start in the back of his head that seemed to drown everything out around him. Finally, the sound of Jethro's voice broke through that buzz, and it lit up every sense in Tony's body.

"Stroke yourself ten times, base to tip. You're not allowed to come until I tell you." Tony began to stroke himself slowly, making it last, from base to tip with his right hand. Jethro looked over from time to time, watching Tony's mouth hang slightly open as he breathed deeply.

"Look at me," he said, demanding Tony's attention. Tony's eyes snapped open, and his head turned to stare at Jethro as he stroked himself. Jethro's own cock was painfully hard, and he needed to feel Tony. Rush hour traffic was starting to pick up around them, and he wasn't sure they would be able to keep playing this out much longer without being caught.

Tony's cell suddenly rang and threatened to break the mood. Jethro looked over at Tony, and realized that he hadn't even heard it. He smirked as an evil thought crossed his mind. "Tony, you need to answer your phone, but I don't want you to stop stroking yourself while you're on it, understood?" Tony nodded, and answered reached for his phone with his left hand, answering and putting the phone on speaker so he didn't have to hold it to his ear, and block his view of Jethro. He stroked himself, and stared at the man while he greeted Tim.

"What's up McProbie?" he asked, biting his lip as his head swam from the sudden intensified pleasure of his stroking.

" _We're stopping for gas and a bathroom break. Wanted to update you. We just crossed the state border. Parke and Critten are following right behind us, so they'll probably stop with us. Where are you guys?"_

Tony guessed based on the last signs he saw before Jethro had initiated this little session. "Should be about half an hour out of Harrisburg at this point. Traffic is picking up." Jethro nodded at him.

" _Gibbs must really be making time," Tim said._

"It's not my fault you guys can't keep up, McGee," Jethro said with a smirk.

Tim stuttered over himself just a second as he realized that he was on speaker phone. "B-b-boss! Tony! Why didn't you tell me Leadfoot could hear?!" Tony smiled, but his breathing was getting to be too erratic to say much.

"Funnier this way," he managed.

Jethro chuckled just a little. "Update us when you get to Harrisburg, McGee." He took the phone from Tony's hand, and started pressing whatever buttons he could to shut it off. He heard a beep, and knew he had gotten it.

He merged over to the right, and got off of the next exit he came to. It was a sharp bend cut through a hillside. He'd gotten off of this exit before for gas on the way to his Dad's, and he knew that there was a gravel drive right past the gas station that a burnt out trailer sat at the bottom of. He'd turned around there on numerous occasions because you couldn't turn left out of the gas station due to a median. He pulled into the gravel drive, heading just far enough in to be hidden from the street, but not far enough down to get stuck in the sludgy snow.

By this point, Tony was panting uncontrollably, desperate to hold on to his senses. He felt himself teetering on the edge of the orgasm, painfully clinging to reality. _How can he do this to me with merely words? He hasn't tied me up, hasn't threatened me, but I can't deny him, can't defy him, and here I am jerking myself off on the side of the road somewhere in Pennsylvania, in a work car._

Tony's thoughts ran together, blurring in the back of his mind. The only thing that mattered to him was the sound of Jethro's voice as he waited for that sacred command to come. He watched as Jethro pushed his seat back, and stared deeply into him, eyes a darker shade of blue than he'd ever seen them.

Jethro gazed at Tony, enjoying the sheen of sweat on his forehead, the bright red flush of his face, the shimmering glaze over his beautiful green eyes as they stared back at him, so trusting, so loyal, so sexy. He reached over and tightened his finger and thumb around the base of Tony's cock, relishing in the whimper he heard coming from Tony's mouth, and found himself profoundly impressed and turned on by the way Tony kept stroking himself despite it, knowing that he hadn't been given the command to stop yet.

He let the stroking continue for a few moments, and then he offered a little bit of mercy. "Stop stroking yourself, Tony." His lover's hand stopped, but his heavy breathing didn't. Gibbs leaned forward and kissed him deeply. "You're doing so well, so unbelievably well. It's incredible what you do to me…" Gibbs' mouth came to Tony's ear, whispering in it seductively. "You follow my orders like you've been taking them for years. So loyal, so sexy, and all mine." Jethro was practically growling the words by the end. He pulled away, and Tony whimpered yet again.

He used his free hand to unzip his pants and pull his cock out, giving it a couple of long strokes. Tony looked down for a moment, and then into Jethro's eyes, and Jethro could see that he was silently begging, unable to form words. "You want to suck this for me? I'm sure it would feel better than my own fingers."

Tony nodded fervently. "Make me come quickly, and drink every last drop. Nothing can escape those beautiful lips." Tony was bent over, swallowing his lover's cock before he could even finish his command. Jethro let his head fall back against the seat, savoring the way Tony took him all the way into this throat over and over again. A little voice in the back of his mind tried to be reasonable, tried to tell him that they shouldn't be doing this right now, but it was compulsory. He needed to scratch that itch inside of him that begged to regain some sort of control.

Tony took Jethro's cock over and over again into his throat, using every trick he had ever learned about sucking cock, and applying it to his partner. He felt the veins bulging under his tongue as he pulled up to the tip again, suckling hard and earning a gasp before plunging back down. On the next pass, he barely let his teeth graze the underside of Jethro's cock, making him growl. Tony started a bobbing frenzy, sucking hard between breaths. He worked himself over and over the stiff member, lost in the way it felt to be fulfilling his lover's wish.

When Tony felt Jethro's hand tighten around the base of his cock, and felt the dick in his mouth swell, he once again took it into his throat, letting the warm streams of sticky liquid shoot deep into him. He swallowed as much as he could around Jethro's width, and something about it must have made things more intense for his lover, because there was a second gasp and shudder. Tony finally slid up and off of Jethro's cock, licking the head like a popsicle as little bits of cum escaped the slit.

Jethro's senses slowly returned after the jolting experience. He pulled Tony up by his shoulder, and pushed him back against his seat with a hand on his chest. "You've been very good, Tony. Very good. I'm going to take my turn now. When I release you, you may come." Tony nodded, his eyes shining brightly at the compliment, but he wasn't quite able to smile as his desperate need for release was making him ridiculously uncomfortable.

Jethro knew that though, and as soon as he hovered over Tony's cock, he impaled his throat on it, releasing his grip. Tony came immediately, yelling loudly as the orgasm exploded through his body, and overtook him. Jethro milked him dry, taking every drop he could. When he couldn't get any more, he sat up and looked at Tony's face to find he had passed out. He saw the heavy rise and fall of Tony's chest, and smirked. Carefully, he slipped Tony's cock back into his thermals, and then zipped up his pants. He fastened his own jeans, and returned his seat to its usual position, then backed out of the driveway. As he got back on the highway, he had to fight the bubble of laughter trying to escape from his chest. _I can't believe we just did that. What has he done to me that I can't stay away from him for a few hours?_

Tony started to come to in the seat next to him. "How long was I out?" he asked, a dozey smile plastered on his face.

Jethro smiled at him. "Only about ten minutes."

"You know, I had always thought that if we got together, there would definitely be some kind of need for control, but I never expected this," Tony said, watching his lover's face for any sign of an explanation.

"Tony, it's never been _like this_. There's always been some form of control with us. You've let me have it at work for years, and now suddenly, it's not there anymore, and it can't be. Our sex life seems to be what it's transferring to. I've never had this kind of need with anyone else. It's just you."

Tony nodded, understanding. "Well, it's not a complaint! Just never thought any force in the world could make you sidetrack a case in order to find that release. I offer myself up to the need whenever it presents itself though, because A) There's nothing I've ever experienced that can come close to what I experience with you, and B) I actually feel a lot more focused now, too. I needed it as much as you."

Jethro sighed in relief. He knew that Tony had needed the release the other day, but he wasn't sure if it was a one-time thing, or if Tony would continue to seek that kind of balance in their lives that he needed. "We'll need to get a handle on this so that it doesn't affect us at work. This cannot happen again during a case."

Tony nodded. "It's not that often that we're going to have a case together like this though. We should be able to find a way to work it out. In the meantime, we are definitely getting a room together when we're done with this mess, and we're going to explore the whole "Mercy" situation before heading back to D.C."

"Oh, yeah. Remind me to make sure our room isn't anywhere near everyone else's. I don't think it would turn out well if they heard you screaming." Jethro stole a look at Tony, and watched as the younger man shivered and turned pink before looking out the window.

"Will do," Tony said, letting his mind run away with him as he watched Harrisburg fly by.


	28. Chapter 28

Tim and Ziva were a little beyond the Pennsylvania state line when they called Tony and Gibbs to check in. They were down to an eighth of a tank of gas, and Ziva needed to use the restroom, so they figured it would be a good time to stop. Ziva dialed Tony from Tim's phone, since it was out on the charger anyway, and put them on speaker.

When Tim realized that Tony had them on speaker as well, hearing Gibbs' playful response to his comment, he felt compelled to joke back. He and Ziva exchanged a look of happy surprise at the banter. When the call disconnected, Ziva double checked to make sure that the phone was indeed hung up, and then turned to her partner.

"A lot is changing by them coming together. Both good and sad changes. I am glad that we are all able to find humor together still." She watched for McGee's reaction, and saw the bittersweet smile on his face.

"Me, too. I had to wonder what it was going to be like when they told us they were seeing each other, and I know that we haven't yet seen just how much things are going to change now that Tony isn't on the team, but for now, I'm trying to enjoy it. I gotta tell you, though, I'm a little nervous about being Gibbs' Senior Field Agent." He checked the mirror to make sure that Parke and Critten were following them to the gas station off of the exit he had taken. When he was sure that they were, he stole a look at Ziva. She seemed reflective.

"I think the important thing to remember, is that you are not Tony. You do not need to try to be like Tony, and I do not think that either of us would want you to be. You will bring your own skills to the table that Gibbs has come to rely on, and you will do things differently. I think Gibbs will appreciate that," she said, trying to reassure him. "I have already seen a change in the way the two of you communicate. Your work relationship is already evolving."

Tim smiled, thinking about the double-headslap that Gibbs still owed him from when they were on the Americana. "Yeah, it's definitely changing," he said somewhat under his breath. "I can't believe how much Tony and Gibbs are changing. If I would have had any idea it would have turned out like this, I would have encouraged them to get together much, much sooner."

"You would have?" Ziva asked in surprise.

"Okay, I would have gotten Abby to do it for me, but still," Tim said. Ziva chuckled.

They both got out of the car, and headed for the convenience store to pay and find the bathroom. "I do not think that either of them would have been ready for this before now. Obviously, they are very happy together, otherwise they would not be moving in together, but there have been some very serious hurdles from their past that they have had to overcome, yes?" She watched Tim nod, and then started to say something else when she saw Critten and Parke walk in. She silenced herself, and nudged Tim so that he understood their need for a subject change. He nodded, and she smiled at Parke as she passed him on the way to the women's room.

All three men stood in front of the refrigerators along the back wall, trying to decide what they wanted to drink. "There's three hundred choices, and we can't narrow it down to one or two things?" Critten said with a chuckle, looking at McGee.

"The more choices, the more time it takes to whittle it down to what we actually want. My biggest choice is whether to caffeinate now, or later." McGee raised an eyebrow at Critten, and then looked past him to Parke for his input.

"I don't know, the bargain vodka is looking mighty tempting right about now," Parke said, giving a cockeyed look at the door in front of him.

"We should save that for tomorrow night when we're all somewhere safe, and warm. For now, caffeinate and hydrate," Tim said, understanding the sentiment, but trying to sidetrack that way of thinking.

"I'm going to need something stronger than some cheap vodka when all of this is over," Parke replied, opening a different door to grab a Gatorade and an orange looking can of energy drink.

Tim grabbed two bottles of water, an iced tea thing he'd seen Ziva drink before, and a bottle of Starbucks Frappuccino. He grabbed a couple of Powerbars and a bag of trail-mix, and headed for the counter. He paid, and told the attendant how much he needed on the pump, and then left Parke and Critten sniffing around the store for something to eat.

He was pumping the gas when Ziva returned. "Hey, I grabbed one of those tea things you like, and a couple of waters. Didn't know what else you might want."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "Is it my turn to drive?"

Tim looked at his watch. At this point, they were a solid hour behind Gibbs, if not more with the pending rush hour traffic. He saw Parke walking out of the store with his phone to his ear, and stopped to watch. He flicked a look at Ziva, who turned slightly to look at the distraught man as he talked to someone, an exasperated look on his face.

 _His wife?_ Tim mouthed to Ziva, who shrugged.

They both waited to see if they could hear anything else, Tim pretending to pump gas that wasn't running. When Critten came out and joined Parke, Tim watched as he questioned him about the call. Tim could make out a little more as the two men began walking to the car together slowly. It sounded like Parke was talking to his wife, and that Critten knew what was wrong.

Tim hung up the pump, and turned to them as they passed their car. Critten went to pump on the other side of their stall while Parke got into the car.

"Hey, we were thinking about switching drivers, but Ziva is kinda crazy behind the wheel. You know where you're going if we lose you?" he asked Critten seriously.

"Uh!" Ziva objected.

"What?" Tim asked, turning to Ziva with a shrug. "It's true." He turned back to Critten.

"We can hold our own. Might even be able to keep pace," he said, the smile he directed towards Ziva an obvious challenge. Tim turned to find she was already next to him, and she snatched the keys out of his hand.

"Tighten your seatbelt, McGee. It is time to catch up to Gibbs and Tony." She turned to get into the car, shooting a rueful smile at him. Tim took a deep breath, and reached for his bag in the back seat before getting into the car. He found his little tube of Dramamine that was still in there from the week prior, and popped one, sucking it down with his water. Ziva smirked, and waited for Critten to get into the car before pealing out of the parking lot.

Critten was right behind them as they got onto the highway, dodging in and out of traffic. Tim grabbed his phone, deciding distraction was the best option for his nerves. He began messaging Abby while he brought up Gibbs and Tony's relationship again. "You're right about their hurdles. Look at how many times Gibbs has been married, and at how many of Tony's attempts at a serious relationship have blown up in his face. Wendy left him at the altar, Jeanne was an undercover op whose father tried to off him, and then EJ- well we all know how that went down."

"Yes! Something good had to happen to them eventually! Perhaps this is it?" She stole a quick look at her travelling companion before she turned back to the road. He was nodding in agreement.

"I believe it is. I think this is a time to move forward for all of us." Tim's phone chimed in his hand, and he looked down to find that Abby had finally messaged him back. His smile reached his eyes, and he started texting.

Ziva smiled to herself, checking the mirror to find that Critten was indeed keeping pace with her, despite her more aggressive attempts to lose him. She decided that she liked him. After all, he'd been through a lot since coming on board, and had stuck with it, so he was obviously tenacious. She'd decided that she liked Parke on that first day on the Americana, too. She approved of Tony's team, and decided to try hard to be there for them as they adjusted to Tony's command.

It was odd to her, reaching out to another team. In the entire time that she had worked with NCIS, she had never found herself getting closer to the other teams. She made friends in multiple departments, but the three main teams themselves had never been known for intermingling. The agents under Balboa didn't work with them unless necessary, and Simmons had never even introduced Parke and Critten to her. The team-less agents that were always working lower level assignments, were usually friendly, but leery. They knew that being on Gibbs' team had a strict loyalty attached to it, and it took a lot to break into the group.

She was aware that Dorneget was desperately trying to find a place to fit in, and she had noticed that Gibbs had allowed him to take over smaller tasks for the team to free them up. She wondered if he might be the one to fill the vacant spot, but doubted it. His clingy eagerness was a little overbearing, even for Gibbs. He had no backbone that she had seen, and she was still wondering what his skillset was. She needed to know more about him before agreeing to the appointment if the suggestion was made.

For now, she tried to focus on the case at hand, the people following behind her, the people miles ahead of her, and the person sitting next to her.

* * *

Tony was watching the weather map on his phone. It wasn't looking so great, and he informed Gibbs.

"It looks like the snow is already starting to fall pretty heavily up there. We're going to have a mess of it if we have to go in blind. Hopefully McGee and Abby are already working on negotiating some satellite time, and maybe some thermal imaging. I'm going to have to get McGee to get Critten in on that." He continued shifting through the map on his phone, trying to find out what road conditions were like along the way.

Gibbs turned to look at Tony for a moment, taking in the way his face made an endearingly curious expression as he looked at the phone, cocking his head to the side like a puppy. Gibbs smirked to himself at the thought, and turned his attention back on to the road.

"We're coming up on Lewisburg. The 180 should be fine up to Williamsport, but after that, it might get messy on 87. Check on that for me, will ya? If we need to go around it, I'll probably take 220 east a bit, and come in at it from that side." Gibbs glanced at Tony for confirmation, and got it in a nod.

He kept stealing glances at Tony, and he saw that Tony was right- he was more focused. He felt the difference in the air between them as they were able to concentrate on the case again. "What do you want to do about the Park Rangers?" he asked him.

Tony looked up, and out the windshield. The thought hadn't occurred to him, but of course, it had to Gibbs. Gibbs waited for a response as Tony thought it through.

"I don't want to tell them that we're there until we are. If someone knows who he is, they might let him know someone is looking for him, and he might run, either because he's guilty, or simply not understanding we're there to protect him. When we get there though, we need to make sure to ask if anyone else has been asking about him." Tony's head went back down into his phone to check on the weather and traffic reports again.

Gibbs nodded. He focused on the road, trying to let the need for control simmer down inside of him. Tony was planning on doing the same thing he would have done, so why did he feel the sudden tension again? He was going to have to find some way to let it go.

Tony scanned the traffic map on his phone. He saw the route going up 87 was in yellow, meaning the traffic was going slower than the traffic on 220, which for now was still shown as in green. What he didn't like was the long trail of red forming on the road behind them that Tim, Ziva and his probies would be hitting anytime now.

"We have slow, but moving, traffic on route 87, and we're clear on the 220. However, the caravan is probably going to be severely delayed." Tony's hand began worrying his temple as he watched the solid red line behind them update to red and black dashes, indicating stop and go traffic. "Correction- they are _definitely_ going to be late." He pulled up the info provided now by a little red triangle with an exclamation point in it. Mumbling to himself as he read it, he shook his head, and dialed Tim.

"McGee," Tim answered, gulping hard.

"McGoo- you guys are about to run into some serious traffic."

"We just did. Ziva was driving." He gulped again, trying to keep his Powerbar and Starbucks down after Ziva's abrupt stop and skid.

"Oooo…" Tony said, cringing. "That's rough. Don't puke in the car! Remember how long it smelled last time. Listen, it looks like a bad accident. Multiple cars, and at least one fatality. Try to reroute."

Tony heard Gibbs groan at the description of the accident. His head snapped to the left so he could check on him, fearing a Shannon/Kelly related memory. Thankfully, the look on his face was merely frustrated.

"Do they need help?" Tim asked, bringing Tony's concentration back to the call.

"No, my app says that EMS is on the scene already. Try to find a safe way around. No dangerous, impassible hills or anything. We can't have you all stranded somewhere that we can't get to."

Tim chuckled nervously. "I'll see what I can find, but don't hold your breath. We're wedged in here pretty good, and most people around us have taken to turning their cars off."

"Well, if you can find a way around, make them turn their cars back _on._ " Tony shook his head. "I'm going to call Parke, and check in." He disconnected the call on McGee, and looked at Gibbs. "They're stuck in a parking lot on the highway."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, and concentrated on the snowy road in front of him. Tony called Parke, and knew immediately that the tension was getting to him.

"Heard you're stuck in traffic," he said calmly.

"Yup."

"We're not too far out. Tell me what led you to believe he's in Loyalsock. Wait- lemme put you on speaker."

Parke sighed, then when Tony gave him the go ahead, he began.

"We followed a series of employers for him in New York. He had run orders for a deli, worked at a car wash, and spent a good part of the fall working for a landscaping company, setting trees and cleaning gutters. The guy at the landscaping company said that he'd offered a reference for him when applied with the Pennsylvania State Parks at the end of the season. He was kind of surprised to find out he'd applied to intern with some botanist program. He said that Shane had picked up quick, and asked questions while he'd worked with them, but he didn't realize that he'd been quite that interested. Anyway, we found out that the botany program was based out of Loyalsock."

"And he was accepted?" Tony asked. He could hear the smile in Parke's voice when he answered, and felt his pride.

"Yeah. Looks like the kid found something he'd love to do after all. He'd always hated the city. There was a Shane Parke accepted into the program in November." Tony looked at the phone in his hand curiously at that. As if reading his mind, Parke continued. "He always said he wished we had the same last name, and we had planned on having it changed if I was able to get custody of him back in the day. Guess he's working on it, or at least using it to stay under the radar."

"Sounds like a smart move. His legal last name is Douglas?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes," Parke answered. "At least as far as we've found, he hasn't changed it legally yet."

"Were you able to find an address for him?" Tony asked.

"From what we heard, all of the people in the program live in the park, usually camping, but in weather like this, they're either in one of the group cabins, in a safety trailer, something like that. He might not have been stationed in the main park though. The program extends to some of the nearby parks as well, and they use Loyalsock as a home base." Parke sighed again, rubbing his hand down his face. "We had just found all of this information out two nights ago, so we haven't had time to really make any calls, and we didn't want to spook him. We figured we'd go up there this weekend ourselves, but realized we had lost the thumb drive, and then Tiff called, and…"

"Tiff is your wife. How much does she know about what's going on?" Tony asked, personal concern and professional concern both weighing in. He was always going to be a little suspicious of wives.

"She knew everything back in California, but she has been left completely out of the process here in D.C. I have been putting her off, saying that we're heading out for a case, and she's not happy to know I'm already on another high enough profile case to send me out of the area again, when I just got off a ship."

"You're waiting to tell her until you find him," Gibbs supplied.

"Yeah. I figure that she can't be mad at me if I show up with my long-lost brother, right?" He sounded desperate for someone to back him up.

"Well, I hope you're right, for all of your sakes. Hey, one last thing. Tell me something only the two of you know so that if we find him before you get there, we can prove we're the good guys." Tony pulled his little notebook out, and prepared to write the answer down.

It took a minute, but finally, Parke answered. "I know, tell him to show you the photo album. Tell him that I told you it's okay, and that you want to see the picture where we dressed up like Batman and Robin for Halloween." Tony chuckled, and he looked up to see that Gibbs was smiling.

"Show us the album- got it."

"That photo album means everything to him. If you find his campsite or whatever, and the photo album is gone- he's gone."

Tony thought of the picture of his mom and him sitting on his bookshelf, and the other picture of them as a family sitting on his piano. He had copies stored in a safety deposit box, because of all of his possessions, they were his most prized. He thought of the framed photo of Shannon, Kelly and Gibbs that was on the bottom shelf of Gibbs' bookcase, right in eye's view when you laid down on the couch. He wondered if there were copies of that photo somewhere safe as well, and maybe more.

He imagined the kinds of photos that they would find in Shane's photo album. Perhaps Shane's parents, or grandparents, pictures that were left with him when his parents died, and he was put into foster care. He wasn't even sure Shane had ever known his parents, but he knew that now wasn't the time to ask.

Gibbs' voice finally spoke up, breaking the silence. "If he's finally found some place to belong, then he's in the park. The park is over 100,000 acres though. We're going to need to talk to his co-workers to see where he liked to hang out."

Tony whistled under his breath. "Damn, that's a lot of land to cover. I'll see if I can get Abby and McGee to weasel a little access to some satellite scans with thermal imaging. Any suggestions, Parke?"

Parke thought for a moment. "Yeah, actually. Check bluffs, towers, check out points. He likes tall places. He would sneak out the attic window of this one house we lived in, and climb his way up to the roof to watch for when the fosters would come home. He liked to climb trees when we'd get out of the city. He likes to know what's coming his way."

Tony stared out at the snow. "Problem is, none of the forecasts thought this batch of snow would be so bad. He couldn't have seen it coming. I hope wherever he is, he's got the supplies he needs to stay safe. Let me go get Tim and Abby working on the satellite imagery. Have you moved at all since I called?"

"Negative," Parke said, his attention brought back to the traffic jam they were in.

"Let us know the moment you start moving," Gibbs said, swerving slightly around a fallen branch on the road.

"Will do," Parke replied, then disconnected the call.

Tony made the call to Tim, and he contacted Abby to get started on squeezing a few minutes' worth of airtime out of the satellites. They discussed going with the search and rescue angle of it all, and then hung up to work on it.

Tony plugged his phone up to the charger. "Are you going to try 87, or take the 220 in?" he asked quietly.

"We should probably take the 87 straight in. It goes by the main headquarters for the forest, where you'd pick up your camper's permits. That's probably our best bet at meeting up with the park staff that Shane would know, and we can check in with the rangers."

Tony nodded, and stared out into the snowy afternoon to think. After sitting in silence for ten minutes, Gibbs felt the need to fill the space. He didn't like how quiet Tony was being. It felt unnatural to him. "What do you think the chances are that Santiago has beat us there?"

"If he was able to even crack the encryption yet, he'd still be behind us quite a bit. No way he'd crack and hack his way past something that McGee designed that quickly. You know it would have to be some of McGee's best work, because he was showing Critten, and he likes to show off when he's in his element. That's how he pushes himself. He finds better ways of doing things when he is taking the time to break things down, and explain them to other people."

Tony's words came out somewhat detached, and Gibbs thought about what was being said. It almost sounded like Tony didn't realize how much he was saying as he was lost in other thoughts.

Gibbs had never really thought of McGee as at teacher, but he'd obviously trained Tony over the years, and he had watched while his new SFA trained Critten on a few things since they had all come together. He's noticed McGee's patience and enthusiasm, and wondered if one day he'd want to do something with it. He made a mental note to give him the chance after things settled down.

Another long few minutes went by, and Tony started talking aloud, almost as if though he was talking to himself.

"If I were Santiago, and I had just acquired a handful of thumb drives, and all of them were encrypted with the hardest encryptions to break in the game, where would I go to have them broken? And if so, how would I afford that?" Tony's face scrunched up in confusion.

Gibbs looked at him sideways, moving slowly up 87. "There's no way he has access to that kind of personnel out here. Maybe if he was back in LA, but who does he have here? He might have enough skills to track someone that had been searching for Shane, like what it sounds like someone did with the internet at work. That doesn't mean he's anywhere near the level needed to crack something McGee put together. He wouldn't be able to."

"Yeah, but if he was desperate enough to infiltrate a federal agency, he's not going to give up. What do you bet he's following us, or at least, following the probies?" Tony looked over at Gibbs, and then dialed Tim again.

McGee answered right away. "We're working on it, Tony. What do you need?"

"Not that, McGee. Are you guys being followed?"

"By your agents. Why? You think someone else is behind us?" Tim turned around instinctively, and looked out the back window of the car, scanning in the dim light of the snowy day for anyone acting suspiciously.

"If Lenny wasn't able to crack your encryptions, he may be trying to follow us. Keep your eye out." Tony winced as Gibbs had to make another hard swerve. They fishtailed a little, but Gibbs corrected with an absurd calmness that Tony envied. He hung up with McGee, and called Parke to warn them as well.

"I hate driving in the snow," Gibbs muttered.

"Really? Because you do it like a pro. I mean, you haven't killed us, or anything yet."

"Well, the other option is we die, and I have some pretty good reasons for wanting to stay not dead," Gibbs answered, teeth grit as he gently maneuvered the turns of the narrow winding road.

"I'm hanging on to those happy thoughts, Boss," Tony said, grimacing as he held on to the handle above the door.

They stayed silent for the next twenty minutes as they took the road agonizingly slow. They finally got the call from McGee saying that traffic had begun moving again, though at a snail's pace with the rate the snow was being dumped on them. Thankfully, the accident had been cleared, and there were no other major incidents blocking their route for the time being. As it was, they were still a solid two hour's drive behind them at the rate they were moving.

Tony and Gibbs were already deep into the forest, approaching the park office when Tony hung up with him. Gibbs pulled in to a spot, and looked at Tony. Tony looked back, his face twisting in an odd contortion as he shifted his gaze towards the building in front of him.

"What do you think the odds are that we're going to walk in there, and he'll be sitting at a desk, be willing to talk to us, and then come with us without a problem?" Tony looked back at Gibbs with a strained smile.

"Zilch."

"Yeah, that's about what I suspected." They both moved to get out of the car, and headed for the door. Tony pulled his coat on, clinging to it tightly.

An annoyingly chipper bell rang out as they opened the door to the office, startling them and the clerk at the desk in front of them, whose nose had been deep a thick book. Tony smiled, and Gibbs nodded to the clerk who put the book down, and turned towards them with an intrigued smile. "Didn't think anyone would be fool enough to try to brave these parts with a snowfall like this. What can I do yous for?" His smile was genuine, and Tony realized that he must have been bored out of his mind on a shift like this.

"I'm Special Agent Tony DiNozzo and this is Special Agent Gibbs. We're with NCIS, and we're trying to find a young man that has been working here, a Shane Douglas-Parke? He around?"

"Is Shane in some kinda trouble?" the guy asked, taken by surprise.

"We're not sure. We have reason to believe that he may be in harm's way. Do you have any idea where we might find him?" Tony asked gently.

"I can try to find out for ya, but I'm not sure where he last stopped cataloging, and what his plans for the weekend were. He's a part of Dr. Stefanopolis' program. They're spending the entire year cataloging every species of plant-life in the park. They mark it off in grids, you see, and each team is assigned a set of grids a week to go out and catalog. It's been about five years since they last did it, and I know Shane was working out last week with some of the Threatened Grids." Tony watched as the man, whose nametag read Phil, pulled out a set of rolled maps.

"Threatened Grids?" he asked. "That doesn't sound good."

"No, no it's not," Phil said, shaking his head gravely. "The plants in those grids include threatened species that used to be abundant here, but are now for some reason or another dwindlin'. We're trying to transplant some of them into other grids this spring, and making sure that these grids are cataloged have been a top priority."

Tony glanced at Gibbs, who returned the glance with a raised eyebrow. Phil unrolled the maps, and found a section marked with a blue highlighter. "It looks like he was moved this week, and he finished all of his assigned area. He wouldn't've been working this weekend, then. He might be at the trailer, but most likely, he'd be back at the cabin with this kinda snowfall. It's much warmer, and better stocked. You never know with Shane, though. He's a good guy, but he's a loner. Can be funny as hell, but at the end of the day, he'd much rather be by himself with some book that Dr. S has given him to look through. Doubt I'll get through with the snow, but let me try to radio them, and we'll see if he's there."

"No, wait. It's safer if we just go find him. Can you tell us where the cabin and trailer are?" Tony asked.

"Sure, but let's get you checked in first. Can't have just anybody wandering up to the staff cabin- wouldn't be safe. You've got your IDs for me?" Phil sat down at the desk, and pulled out what looked like his log book.

"Sure," Tony said, trying not to get too sarcastic. He pulled his badge and NCIS ID out, and dropped it on the counter. He looked out of the corner of his eye, and saw Gibbs rolling his eyes as he pulled his out too.

When Phil looked up, and saw the forms of ID he had waiting for him, he picked one up gingerly. "Don't think I've ever had to put a Fed's ID in here before. Guess I'll just make it up as I go along." He shot a smile at Tony, and Tony shot one back, trying his damnedest not to scream in impatience at the man.

Gibbs was watching Tony with amusement. He figured Tony was playing nice because they might need staff and ranger assistance later on if Shane wasn't to be found in either location, but he knew it was grating on him. He couldn't say that he didn't understand the sentiment, but he was finding it a little bit easier to not show it. He looked around the place, wondering when they had made all of the updates and modifications. The last time he was here, he was probably seventeen. It was the same structure, but it looked dramatically different. He considered that would put the building over fifty years old, seeing as it was built before he started coming here as a small child with his dad and L.J.

He noticed that the exposed beams of the pointed rotunda ceiling had recently been polished and re-stained. It made him smile a little to himself to find that they were still taking such care of something that he hadn't thought about in ages. He remembered being little, and staring up at the ceiling as his dad checked in before they would go camping together. It seemed infinitely higher back then when he was less than half of his current height.

His gandering got Phil's attention when he went to return his badge. "You look mighty amused there, sir. Something caught your eye?"

"Used to come here when I was a kid. Only thing that hasn't changed is the ceiling."

"You're from these parts?" Phil asked with a smile. "I'm not. I'm from South Carolina, myself. Been here going on fifteen years though."

"Can you tell us the safest way to get to the cabin and trailer? The sooner we can find Shane and check in with him, the better," Tony asked, trying to sound more urgent than impatient. It was a fine line, but he figured he made his point gently enough as Phil pulled out a general one sheet map of the forest, and began highlighting routes for them.

Before they took off, Tony turned back to Phil. "We have four more coming behind us that got stuck in the snow. When they get here, can you have them contact us? I'm not sure where we'll be, but they'll need to get checked in, and meet up with us. If anyone else comes looking for Shane, contact us right away before you contact anyone else, and do it discreetly. We're not sure what is going on, but we know it isn't good."

Phil nodded seriously, and swallowed hard. Tony and Gibbs both nodded to him, and headed out.

They stopped at the cabin first, and talked to some of Shane's co-workers. They were all pleasant enough, and seemed genuinely concerned for his welfare, but they hadn't seen him since they had packed up their work the day before.

One young lady, Penelope, said that she thought he might be heading up to Devil's Elbow for the weekend, since he was going to be assigned a grid near there the following week, but she wasn't sure. She said that there were some crude shelters up there, but nothing more than a shack, and she hoped that he had decided to stay at the trailer with the amount of snow that fell. Her concern for him was a little edgier than the rest, and Tony and Gibbs exchanged a look that confirmed that they both believed she and Shane might be involved, or she at least wanted them to be.

Tony pulled Penelope aside. "If he gets in contact with you, will you tell him that Greg is looking for him, and give him this number to call?" She took the card eagerly, eyes wide like a doe. "It's important we get in touch with him as soon as possible. The person on the other end of this number can get him connected with Greg."

"That's his brother, isn't it?" she asked, and Tony looked at her curiously. "He would sometimes talk about his brother, Greg. He has this photo album of all of these pictures of them as kids, and he and I sat by the fire one night looking through it. He sounds like a great guy. Is Greg okay? If Shane knew Greg was in trouble, he'd do anything to help him."

Tony wondered for a moment just how genuine the girl in front of him was, but after a few moments, he realized that her innocent naiveté was real. "Greg's fine, but he's worried. We have to find Shane before anything bad can happen to him. Let us know right away if you hear from him." Penelope nodded severely, and held the card close to her chest.

"I will, I promise."

Tony smiled at her, and left her to go find Gibbs.

"The girl know anything?" Gibbs asked as they walked to the car, drinking a cup of coffee he'd pilfered from the cabin staff.

"She knew who Greg is, to an extent. Apparently Shane showed her the album, and told her how much he cares about Greg. Ya know, she's exactly the kind of girl I imagine when I think of Little Red Riding Hood?" Tony ducked his head as they got into the car to head out towards the trailer. "She'd meet the big bad wolf in the forest, spread the picnic blanket on the ground, and invite him to have lunch with her. I know appearances can be deceiving, but she's..."

"Yeah, I got that impression myself," Gibbs cut in, handing Tony his cup to take a drink. Tony took it with a smile, and his phone rang out with Parke and Critten's ringtone. He looked down to find it was Critten calling this time. "Hey, where are you?"

Critten's voice came through irritated. "In a snow bank on 87. Agent David swerved around a branch one way, and fishtailed, so I swerved the other way, and got up close and personal with winter's finest. Don't think there's any damage, but we're going to be a few minutes later while we push us out, and get the branch off the road."

"Damn it! Next time, we're all squeezing into one car!" Tony stared through the windshield with gritted teeth. "Well, spread the word- we've already been to the staff cabin, and though he's definitely here somewhere, we have no idea where. We're trying some trailer out in the middle of nowhere. When you get here, check in at the resource center on 87, and get in touch with us. We'll let you know what we've found at that point."

Tony put his phone back on the charger, and after taking a deep drink of Gibbs' coffee, handed it back to him.

"What now?" Gibbs asked.

"Snow bank. Stuck. I have a feeling we would have been able to do this much faster alone," Tony grumbled.

"Nah, we need the chaperones," Gibbs said, turning to Tony with a wink.

Tony tried not to chuckle, but the reminder of their pit stop a couple of hours earlier made him blush, and the bright smile won him over. "Okay, maybe we do."

"We really need to find this kid, Tony. The snow is getting heavier. He's only been out here a few months. Being a city-kid, he's not going to know how to take care of himself in this kinda storm." Gibbs' voice was colored with a worry that set Tony's hairs on end.

"Yeah. I'm honestly getting the feeling that he doesn't have any idea where the money is. If he's done the crappy kinda jobs that Parke said he did, and he's doing _this_ now, I can't imagine him secretly rolling in the dough." The concern that Gibbs was showing amplified his own, setting him on edge, and he felt the urgency flowing through him again. At this point, they would have the additional issue of nightfall in a little over an hour, and they wouldn't have the benefit of moonlight to guide them if the snow didn't let up soon, and clear the clouds from the skies.

Gibbs pulled up to the end of an access road, glanced down it, and pulled off to the side and parked. "There's no way we're going to make it down there in this car. From here on out, we're on foot." He glanced at Tony, who merely scrunched his nose, and pulled out his phone. He dialed Abby, and waited.

"Hey, Tony," she answered. "Getting road blocked on the thermal imaging time, but I did get a little bit of satellite time. That place is huge. It's going to take some time for me to decipher where the possible hiding places are."

"Thanks, Abs. I know you're doing your best. Hey, listen, Gibbs and I are going to be going on foot for a little bit through the woods, and I wanted to give you my last known whereabouts. The snow is a little overwhelming, and I figure someone should know the last place we were before we wandered into the forest to be eaten by bears and abominable snow monsters." Tony felt the hand to the back of his head, and barely flinched. "We're going to test our sat phones out in a minute, and I figure you'll get a good track off of that, but in case the snow is too thick to get through, we're heading down an access road at what looks like Point K3 South on the Loyalsock trail. The car will be waiting for us at the head. Oh! And you might get a call from a random girl that sounds too innocent to believe, named Penelope. She's a friend of Parke's brother, and I gave her your card to get in touch with if he turns up, that way you can patch him through to Parke's sat phone. If that happens, I wanna be conferenced in on it if at all possible, or record the conversation."

"Got it, and got it. I have located your position on the map, and am standing by for your sat calls."

"You're the best, Abs. I owe you."

"Totally thinking dinner at that little place down on Jefferson wouldn't be uncalled for," Abby said with a broad smile.

Tony chuckled. "We'll see, Abs. Standby."

Tony shook his head, and saw that Gibbs was smiling at their banter.

"Abominable snow monsters? Really?" Gibbs chuckled as he got out of the car, popping the trunk. Tony grabbed his bag, a sat phone and a walkie. Gibbs pulled his bag over his shoulder as well, and grabbed a charger, tapping Tony, and motioning for him to turn around. He stuck the charger into Tony's bag, wedging it in, and then zipped him back up. Tony was already on the phone with Abby, and he listened as they marked the co-ordinates with the sat phone's reception.

Gibbs dialed his phone, and closed the trunk. Abby picked up, a perky, "Hey, Gibbs!" on her lips immediately. "You and Tony running off into the snowy woods together? Sounds kinda romantic."

"Abs…" he warned.

"What? You know, if you weren't trying to find Parke's kid brother, this could be playing out a whoooollllee-"

"ABS!" Gibbs snapped. "Concentrate on the task at hand, please?" Tony was chuckling next to him as they began walking down the trail, easily able to imagine what Abby was saying to cause his partner to cut her off.

"Right. You're locked in, Gibbs. Keep Tony safe from the bears and abominables for me, will ya?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Will do, Abs." He disconnected the call, and raised an eyebrow at Tony, who was watching him, and tucking his scarf around his neck. "She says that I'm to keep you safe from the big scary snow monsters."

"Ahhh…" Tony said, nodding sagely. "Of these things, she is wise. I'd hate to have to snuggle in close to you for protection."

"That would be rough, but you know, I'd do it for you, if it meant keeping you safe from the snow monsters." Gibbs and Tony both chuckled as they set off down the snowy gravel road.

"How far down is the trailer?" Tony asked, unable to see signs of human life anywhere in the near distance.

"Just about a mile."

Tony adjusted his bag. "I guess we should figure out what we're going to do when we get there and find out he's not there, because you know, if we're walking a mile, chances are, with our luck, he won't be."

"I suspect we'll turn around, go back to the car, and head back towards the resource center. Probably talk to the park rangers about helping us search for him. By then, we'll have your team, my team, and hopefully some information from Abby about the park." Gibbs looked at Tony saw watched the breath streaming from his lips like a dragon spitting smoke. "We'll find him, Tony."

"I'm sure we'll find him, I'm just not sure what's going to happen after that. We're going to put all this effort into finding him, and then what? What if he _does_ know where the money is? What is that going to do to Greg? And what if he doesn't, and Santiago thinks he does? Is he ever going to be able to stop running? You heard Greg- he never thought Shane would find something he'd like to do, and he's gone from the streets of L.A., to being somewhat wrongfully incarcerated, and he's now he's doing this? And why did he go to New York? To find Jayson? Why would he want to find Jayson? And for whatever the reason was, he didn't stay long. A few months, it sounds like? New York is huge, with millions of people living there. What is the likelihood that he gave up after searching for only a few months? It is much more likely that he found the answers he was looking for, and decided to move on. And-"

Gibbs stopped, and pulled Tony towards him suddenly, kissing him hard. It took Tony a moment to react, but once he did, the kiss became a frantic outpouring of all of the tension in him. They finally pulled apart just enough to catch their breaths, their foreheads leaning together.

"It's going to be okay, Tony. You're doing fine. One step at a time."

Tony nodded, swallowing hard.

"I'm right here with you."

Tony nodded again, holding Gibbs to him closely. Gibbs hugged him back hard, and then let go. They started walking again.

"You care about them a lot," Gibbs said quietly. "It took me a long time to feel anything more than responsible for someone on my team. I knew that Mike cared about me. The people I had under me though, were just a responsibility- until you came around. You changed that all for me. I grew to care about Stan over time, but it was strictly work related. There wasn't much personal communication between us. There definitely wasn't anything like the connection I've formed with you, and Ziva and McGee. I always kept my distance. Ducky and I had been friends for a long time, and Abby is… well Abby is a special circumstance, but as far as my agents went, I knew that they would all move on eventually, either because I couldn't stand them anymore, they had other options, or they'd get tired of dealing with me. You, McGee, Ziva, even Kate, all mean more to me than any of the other agents I've worked with. I don't think I want to let someone else on my team. I don't know if I want to let someone else in like that."

Gibbs was kind of stunned to find that he'd said all of that. Tony was even more surprised, and touched.

"You don't have to right away, Jethro, but eventually, you're going to need someone in that fourth spot that you can trust, and that Ziva and Tim can trust. You might not need it, but they're going to need someone else to help carry the load. It gets to be a lot." Tony reached out a gloved hand, and took his lover's, folding their fingers together as they walked.

"Yeah, I know, but it's going to take some serious thought. You're going to need to let someone else on your team, too. You're used to working with a team of four." Gibbs let his fingers tighten around Tony's. It was suddenly feeling all too real that they were working equals, and Gibbs knew that unless something really horrible happened, his chances to work with Tony were nil. "We're not going to get to work together anymore, Tony."

It was such a simple and obvious statement, and yet it summed up everything that had them turned inside out. It was heavy, and blunt, and it weighed on them like bricks. Yes, what they had was going to be worth it, but everything that had brought them to where they are now, was going to disappear. There would be no more joking around in the middle of the case that would alleviate the tension, and knowing that they no longer had each other's back in the most dangerous situations, left them both with an oddly vulnerable feeling.

"That's going to be the worst part of this," Tony agreed. "I really do love working with you."

"Maybe I really have given you a concussion after all," Gibbs said, looking at Tony's head critically.

Tony laughed, and moved closer to him so that they were walking up against one another, hands still clasped. "I mean it. Yeah, you can live up to the "bastard" part of Gibbs, but there's no one I'd rather work with. Problem is, there's no one I'd rather spend the rest of my life with, and that wins out." Tony looked up at Gibbs with a sad smile, and Gibbs looked back with one of his own.

"Love you, Tony."

Tony's face split into an insanely happy smile. "Love you, too, Jethro."

Gibbs looked ahead down the path, and saw a tiny trail of smoke filtering up through the trees. "There's the trailer," he said, letting go of Tony's hand regretfully.

Tony felt colder with every inch away from Gibbs he moved. He was glad when they finally approached the trailer to find that someone was home. A flare of hope shot up in him that maybe Shane was the one inside, and they could put all of this to rest. Gibbs stood at the bottom of the steps, and held up his hand as he listened. Tony listened, too, and both men drew their weapons. There wasn't just one person inside, but two, and their argument sounded heated.

Tony motioned to Gibbs like a phone, asking if they should communicate with someone before going in, but then something crashed loudly inside, and the thought was forgotten as both men ran up the stairs, banging on the door and announcing themselves. A moment later, the door flung open, and three sets of adrenaline-wide eyes stared back and forth between one another in shock.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" Gibbs asked, baffled.

"Don't ask, Jethro! Just move!" The man ran out of the trailer, jumping the steps, Shane on his heels. Tony and Gibbs both tore off after them, and less than a minute later, a loud explosion behind them sent them diving into the nearest pile of snow.

* * *

McGee and Ziva were waiting for Parke and Critten at the end of the walkway into the Resource Center. They caught up, and moved onward together, cold, wet and tired from pushing the car out of the snowdrift it had been wedged in. Tim and Parke were both in possession of their respective cars' keys, and no one really felt like talking to one another.

They opened the door to the cheery sound of the bell hanging from the inside, and Ziva glared at it. Tim walked up to be greeted by Phil before he could say a word.

"You folks must be the ones Agent DiNozzo was talkin' about. He said there'd be four of yas."

"That would be us, yes. Special Agents Tim McGee, Ziva David, Gregory Parke and Elijah Critten. I was told you'd need for us to sign in?" Tim asked, looking over at Ziva as she leaned against the counter, considering the man in front of her.

"Yes, sir, I do. If I can get your IDs, I'll getcha squared away. Heard y'all got into a bit of trouble with Old Man Winter along the way up. Not the best day to be makin' that drive, no sir, but I can tell you it's gonna be busier than all else here tomorrow. The cross country skiers will be out hitting the course. They love the fresh stuff."

All four agents had handed over their IDs, and were treated to a story about someone who was airlifted out the year before, after running face-first into a tree, while Phil put their info into the books. Critten was handed his badge and ID back first, and asked where he could find the restroom. Phil directed him out the door, and around the outside edge of the building, to another door.

The rest of them sat in silence while Phil finished his story about the skiers, and took their information. It wasn't until Phil asked them if they'd like some coffee that they all came to life.

"That would be greatly appreciated," Ziva said.

"Definitely," Tim added. "We're running on no sleep, and just spent half an hour pushing one of our cars out of a snowdrift."

"Just made a fresh pot. Help yourselves! It's right over there. I should be done here in a just a minute." Tim saw the pot behind the counter in the corner, and came around, handing Styrofoam cups to the other two agents on his heels.

"Parke?" Phil asked, looking up from the ID in his hand at Greg. "Are you a relation of Shane's?"

Greg smiled over at the man behind the counter, a cup of black coffee warming his hands. "Yeah, he's my brother."

"Well, whaddaya know!" Phil said, going back to his scribbling. "You must be mighty worried about him from what Agent DiNozzo said. Sounds like something bad might be coming his way."

"We certainly hope not, but we're here just in case. So, you know my brother?" Parke came to lean against the counter as Critten came in.

"Hey, Critten- there's coffee," Tim called, keeping a close eye on the situation unfolding at the counter.

Critten's eyes lit up, and he joined Ziva and Tim around the pot. All three of them watched Parke talk to Phil about Shane, absorbing every bit of the conversation. There was no way to be discreet about it, but there wasn't too much said that would help them. It was interesting, though, to watch the difference in Parke as they talked. He was suddenly full of life, eager to hear about what Shane had been keeping busy with, and what people's opinions of him were.

From the way things sounded, Shane had become studious, and had a great sense of humor. He was the clown when in a group, but was rarely found in that position, and the leader of the research team had taken a heavy interest in him.

After giving the two of them a few minutes to talk, Tim rallied them all back up to go out into the parking lot, and call Gibbs and Tony to find out where they were to meet them. They had made a huddle under the awning outside the door, and Tim pulled his phone out. Before he could even unlock it, they heard a giant BOOM! from the middle of the forest. They ran to the edge of the building, and saw smoke off in the distance. Tim turned, and ran for the car, dialing the phone. "Parke! You're with me! Ziva, Critten, stay with Phil, and find out what you can about that explosion!"

Parke threw his set of car keys to Critten, and ran after Tim, skidding down the concrete ramp of a walkway, and leaning on the hood of the car as he jumped over the drift there. He and Tim got in, and Tim handed him the phone. "Keep dialing them! Don't stop until one of them picks up!"

Tim swallowed hard. "This is _NOT_ the time to be breaking rule three!" He pulled out of the lot, and followed the road around towards the dark plume of smoke rising against the white snow-filled clouds.

"They aren't answering, McGee! What the hell is going on?" Parke said frantically.

Tim pulled up along the side of Gibbs' and Tony's car at the end of the access road. He and Parke could see the bright orange flames shooting from a rectangular structure deep in the woods. Tim reached over, and took his phone from Parke. "Stop dialing." He hit the trunk release, and the two men jumped out. They grabbed a phone and a radio each, and Tim grabbed the first aid kit, then they took off running into the forest towards the blaze.


	29. Chapter 29

Ziva and Critten burst into the Resource Center to come face to face with Phil, who looked stunned.

"What in the hell was that?" he asked.

"There was just an explosion in the forest! There's a lot of smoke," Critten said. "McGee and Greg just drove off towards it."

All three of them went back outside, Phil with his radio in hand. They shuffled to the edge of the building to look beyond, and see the smoke.

"This is Phil in the RC! We have a fire in the vicinity of Worker Trailer number three! I need all those trained for the fire line to prepare, and report to your stations! This is not a drill! The access road to the trailer will be impassible for emergency vehicles! I repeat- all those trained for the fire line, please report to your positions near Worker Trailer number three immediately!"

"We need to get EMS in here in case our people are hurt," Critten said, shooting a frantic look towards Ziva.

"Don't worry, son, that's next. We may have people hurt out there, too. Somebody was probably in that trailer." Voices began ringing out over the radio, announcing their ability or inability to respond to the scene as Phil headed back to the door in a hurry. They followed him into the building, and he got behind the counter, pushing buttons on a control panel, and flipping a series of switches. Critten and Ziva could hear the sounds of an alarm starting to blare throughout the park around them, signaling the need for assistance. Phil dialed the fire department, and started explaining the situation.

"What can we do, Phil?" Ziva asked.

"Take this key. Go around back. You'll find a golf-cart with a plow on it full of buckets on the back. Get them to the scene. Rangers should be on the way with the long hose. Be ready to get wet and cold." Ziva took the keys, and grabbed Critten by the arm, pulling him outside.

"I will take the cart. Follow me with the car. We will most likely need the supplies that are in the trunk." Critten nodded, and ran in one direction towards the car, while Ziva ran around the back of the building. After cranking for a moment, the cart finally started, and Ziva backed out of its little spot. Once she got it turned around, she flew down the sidewalk, ramping over the curb, and through a snow drift that sent snow flying up in her face.

Critten followed her out of the lot, and parked behind the other cars at the end of the access road a few minutes later. He got into the trunk, and grabbed whatever supplies he could find helpful before meeting Ziva at the cart.

The sky was a hazy gray that covered the stars now that night was falling, and they were able to see the blaze through the trees. A long line of people were forming the fire up and down the access road.

"Oh my god," Critten said. "We gotta find Greg." Ziva nodded, and they took off towards the inferno. Halfway down the road, Critten put his hand on Ziva's shoulder. "Wait! Stop!" He climbed out of the cart as Ziva pulled it to a halt, and he lifted half of the buckets out and handed it to one person with instructions to take one and pass them along. He handed the other half to the person next to them, and told them to pass them in the other direction, before climbing back into the cart. "The sooner they can start getting water over there, the better." Ziva nodded, and continued down the path towards the fire.

They both jumped out of the tiny vehicle as soon as it stopped near a group of people that were gathering closer to the fire. "Gibbs! Tony!" Ziva began shouting.

"Greg! Greg, where in the hell are you?! Boss! BOSS!" Critten started yelling.

* * *

Tim and Parke heard the sounds of sirens going off around the park, and it stirred them on towards the smoke and flames, a sense of dread washing over them. It seemed to take forever to get there through the snow. What normally would have taken Tim seven or so minutes to run on his warm-up mile in the morning, took more than ten due to the thick blanket of snow weighing him down. Parke was right next to him, trudging through the snow furiously. Both were panting from the mix of freezing cold air, the urgent dash, and a heavy dose of fear.

Halfway down the path, Tim started yelling for his team. "Tony! Gibbs! Can you hear me?" When his breath failed him, Parke's took over.

"Boss! Agent Gibbs! Boss! Answer me, damn it!"

They were less than a quarter of a mile away when they started smelling the smoke, and realized that they were downwind of the fire. Both men found ways to cover their faces as they ran, pulling their jackets and sleeves away only to yell out for their people.

"McGee!" a familiar voice finally hollered. Both Tim and Parke froze, looking around them to find where it was coming from. McGee was baffled, sure he was hearing things. "McGee! Over here!" Both men looked to their left, and saw a man on his feet, leaning against a tree.

"Fornell?" Tim yelled, running over to him. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"It's a long story. Gimme a hand," Fornell said, and that's when Parke realized that Fornell was hunched over the figure of his little brother, leaning against a tree.

"Shane!" he gasped, and ran towards him. "Oh, God, Shane! Shane! Are you okay?" He crouched down next to his brother, checking him over. He was a little dazed, but conscious.

"Greg? What the hell? Greg? Is that you?" The younger man looked up at him with dark eyes, squinting like he couldn't believe it was him.

"Oh, thank God! Thank God!" Parke pulled Shane against his chest, holding him close.

"Fornell! Where are Gibbs and Tony?" Tim asked frantically.

"They were running off to the right when the place went up. I can barely stand. I'm pretty sure I broke my ankle." Tim nodded, and reached out a hand as he started jumping backwards.

"Stay right there! I'll be right back!" he shouted, running off to find the others with the first aid kit in hand.

"Not like I have much of another option!" Fornell called after him before turning to look back down at the Parke brothers in confusion.

Tim ran off towards the trees, yelling for Gibbs and Tony. He saw debris from the trailer that had made its way into the bushes from the explosion, and tried to decipher what were track marks from that, versus what were footprints from two men running. He finally heard the sounds of Tony's groans, and tumbled down into the snow to pull him up. There were pieces of debris nearby, and Tim saw blood coming out of the side of Tony's head.

"McGee?"

"Yeah, Tony, it's me. Hold on, we gotta stop this bleeding." McGee sat the first aid bag down, and opened it up, trying to keep Tony propped against him. He pulled out a pack of gauze pads, and held it firmly to Tony's head.

"Tim, where's Gibbs?"

"I'm not sure, Tony. I found you first."

Tony reached up, and pressed down on Tim's hand on the gauze. "I got this, Tim. Go find Gibbs. Please." He met Tim's eyes for a long moment, and Tim nodded. He left Tony to try to stop the bleeding on his own, and took off on the search for Gibbs.

It only took a minute before Tim found him, passed out, face first in the snow. "Tony! Tony, I found him! Can you walk?" Tim reached down to find Gibbs' pulse on his neck, gently shaking him. "Gibbs! Gibbs, come on! Wake up!" He noticed that Gibbs' leg was bleeding, and when he supported his head as he turned him over, he felt the large golf ball-sized knot forming on the back of his head. He winced as he realized how bad that must have hurt.

"McGee?" Gibbs finally croaked.

"Yeah, Boss! It's me!" Tim let out a sigh of relief. "Hold still a minute, Boss. Get your bearings."

Tim looked up with a smile as Tony tried making his way towards them, leaning on every tree along the way. "He's okay, Tony. Take a second," Tim said, already getting into the first aid kit to get out supplies to patch together Gibbs' leg.

Gibbs tried to sit up, his face scrunching up in confusion and pain, and he felt the world spin around him. He had barely propped himself up on his elbows, and the forest began turning into a blur of brown, gray, and eerie nighttime-snow-blue.

"Just wait, Boss," Tim said. He took off his scarf, and wrapped it around Gibbs' neck gently, trying to think of anything and everything to protect his boss from the cold while he worked on his leg. There were chunks of splintered wood sticking out of it, and he cringed as he knew he was pulling a piece of the trailer from him. Gibbs was oblivious to the pain, and pretty much everything else, until Tony flopped down on the ground next to him.

"What the hell just happened, Jethro?" Tony asked, his vision blurry, and his speech slurring, as if though he'd had one drink too many.

"Tony? I have no idea." Tony scooted over so that Gibbs could lean against him, and together, they managed to sit Gibbs up.

"Did I really just see Fornell come out of that trailer, or did I hit my head that hard?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, that was Fornell. He's got a lot of explaining to do," Gibbs said, the grumpy growl making Tim move faster.

"If it makes you feel any better," McGee consoled, "He thinks he broke his ankle."

Tony snorted. "I'm so cold, I don't know how I'm feeling anything at all."

Tim paused what he was doing, and reached into the first aid kit. He ripped open the packaging to a foil looking blanket, and handed it to Tony, who tried to wrap it around him and Gibbs. A couple of minutes later, Tim started pouring antiseptic on Gibbs' leg, and the older man grunted.

"I definitely felt that! What the hell, McGee?"

"Sorry, Boss. Just a minute here, and we'll see if we can get you on your feet." Tim finished wrapping Gibbs' leg up in gauze, and taped it down. "Okay, let's hope that holds until we can get back to the main road." McGee packed up the supplies, and reached down to help Tony up first.

Tony got to his feet a little too fast, and the ground tried to come up to meet him.

"Whoa, there, Tony. I'm going to need you steady here," Tim said, reaching to steady him.

Gibbs looked up at Tony, and realized he had a bloody sponge of gauze stuck to his clotting head. "Damn it, Tony! What the hell happened to you?"

"Same thing that happened to you, I guess. The trailer spit itself at me, and it won." He reached up, and gingerly touched his head. "And I might have hit a rock on the way down. Honestly, I'm not really sure."

Tim saw the anxious look on Gibbs' face, and realized that he wasn't looking at him like a concerned boss, but a frightened lover. "He'll be fine, Gibbs. Tony's head could probably take a house falling on it."

Gibbs tried to shoot Tim a glare, but when he saw the worried look on his SFA's face, he knew that his joke was only to try to lighten the mood. Tim reached down, and offered Gibbs a hand getting to his feet. They somehow managed, but when they tried limping away, and Tony could barely walk along with them because of how dizzy his was, Tim started wondering if he would have to leave one there, and come back for them.

They made their way closer to the burning trailer, and Tim suddenly heard the sounds of Ziva's voice floating through the trees.

"Ziva!" he yelled back, trying not to yell in Gibbs' ear. "Ziva! Over here!"

The petite frame began jumping over logs, and running through the snow towards them. Tim could hear her muttering something that sounded Hebrew as she came tumbling towards them.

"You are both alright?" she asked, looking both men up and down for signs of injury. She winced at the sight of Tony's bloody head wound, and saw how badly Gibbs was limping.

"I think so," Tony said, trying to take another step forward, and swaying a bit. Ziva was by his side immediately, helping him along. Tim gave her a grateful frown, and together, the four of them made a slow procession back towards the group of people near the trailer.

By the time they made it back, the line of people along the road had begun passing buckets down with water and snow it them, throwing them on the fire. They weren't doing much to put it out, but they were keeping it under control while the flames consumed everything they could. Fornell was sitting on the back of the golf cart, a park ranger wrapping his ankle. Tim and Ziva led the other two men towards the cart as well, and they both found a place to perch.

Tony nudged Gibbs, and nodded to where Greg and Shane were wrapped up in a rough looking blanket together on a log. Shane was leaning against Greg, and Greg had his arm wrapped around him as they talked. Gibbs smiled at Tony.

"Can almost imagine them doing that fifteen years ago," he murmured in Tony's ear. Tony smiled brightly at him, and had to stop himself before he leaned in closer, and exposed them.

The ranger finished wrapping Fornell's foot, and offered to drive the three men back to the main road, where the ambulances were waiting on them. Ziva nodded, and told him that they would be right behind them.

"After I drop them off, I'll come back for you, if you'd like to wait here," he offered.

"That would be very nice of you," she said with a smile. He tipped his hat at her, and Gibbs and Tony settled in for the quick ride up to the main road. Tim came to stand next to Ziva as they pulled away.

"I don't know what in the hell just happened, but I can't remember the last time I was so scared," he said quietly to her. She turned, and looked up at him, wrapping her arms around her to stay warm.

"I cannot either," she said quietly. They turned to look at Parke and Shane. "And those two- I do not remember ever being that closer to my brother. They are lucky to have one another."

"Yeah, they are. I don't know what I'd do if I had no idea where Sarah was for so long. I need to remember to call her when I get home; make some time to catch up." Ziva rested her hand on Tim's shoulder, and realized he was shaking.

"Are you okay, McGee?" she asked softly.

"We could have lost them both, Ziva." Tim swallowed hard. "Tony's always been the one to watch Gibbs' back. He's the only one Gibbs has ever _let_ have his back like that, and now I'm going to have to do it. I don't know if I can. Gibbs is a hard person to keep up with on a good day, but when he goes off and gets himself into situations like this-"

"McGee!" Ziva said, grabbing an arm in each hand. "You found them. They are okay. You took care of them. You got here as quickly as you could, and you took care of them _both._ You are already filling Tony's boots nicely. You are going to do great."

"Shoes," Tim said, shrugging the tiniest bit. "But this was different. This time, we showed up after the fact. What am I going to do when we're in a sticky situation, and I have to have his back? What then? We don't… read each other, like he and Tony always have. We don't understand each other's way of thinking like they do…"

"McGee, he trusts you. There is no doubt in my mind that he trusts you."

Tim swallowed again. He knew that was what it all came down to in the end- that he was afraid that Gibbs wouldn't trust him when the time came, and he needed to. He was afraid it was going to take experiencing that kind of trust in order to make him believe he had earned it, and he was terrified of what the situation would look like that finally brought that to light.

* * *

Greg couldn't believe that he was holding Shane in his arms. He felt his warm breath against his shoulder, and he could feel his hair against his face as he clung to him, but he still couldn't believe he had his little brother's arms around him. Shane was shaking violently, and Greg knew he was in shock. Between the fear of the explosion, and the freezing cold, it was to be expected.

Wedged between them was the photo album. The corner of it was poking Greg in the thigh, but he really couldn't care less. He had found Shane, more or less safe and sound, and he was going to be able to protect him. In that moment, Shane wasn't the stocky, muscular twenty-four year old man that had spent years in a gang; he was the scared little boy that Shane would protect from abusive foster-parents and playground bullies. He held onto him tightly while he could, and found relief in knowing that he was still trusted enough to be able to be the big brother.

Critten stood by a tree a distance away, watching the two of them together. He jumped when he suddenly felt McGee's hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

" _That,_ is what we do," Tim said quietly, his hand still on Critten's shoulder. Critten looked up at him, his eyes squinting as he tried to understand what was happening. He looked back at the Parke brothers, and Tim saw the realization dawning on his face. "I have doubted my place on this team plenty of times, especially at the beginning. I don't have the undercover skills that Tony has, or the fighting skills that Ziva has, and no one will ever say that I have anything resembling Gibbs' natural sense of power and control, but what I do have, is the ability to maneuver through today's technology, and that technology lets me connect people. Whether it's connecting the good guys with the bad guys, or in cases like this, the good guys with the good guys, at the end of a case, I know that I was crucial to bringing people together. Tony always jokes with me about my people skills, and my interactions with people, but in the end, we all feel the same when we see _that._ " Critten looked up at him with a curious smile. "We feel like we've done good." Tim smiled broadly at him, squeezing his shoulder again. "Glad you're here."

He left Critten standing there, watching the scene in front of him, and went to talk to the park rangers that were directing the fire line as they tossed bucket after bucket on the fire. As he stood off from the group as they talked, he made eye contact with one of the rangers to make sure he wasn't interrupting.

One of the men in the group broke away, striding towards him with a stern expression that made McGee steel himself.

"Ernest Cunningham," the man said, reaching a gloved hand out for McGee to shake. McGee pulled his bloody glove off quickly, and took the man's hand.

"Sorry. Had to do some patchwork on my boss and teammate. Still a bit…" he trailed off, shrugging slightly. The ranger nodded.

"Phil said you guys are with NCIS," he said rather brusquely.

"Yes, we are, and Agent Fornell is FBI. We came here to locate Shane, after his brother, Greg Parke, one of our agents, found out that he was in danger. The situation is still unclear as to what's happening. We had no idea an explosion was even a remote possibility. We were made aware of a person tracking him down, but there was no indication for our agents that the type of person we're investigating would have had access to anything that could do this. I'm hoping Agent Fornell has more information, but again, we hadn't been made aware that he was investigating the situation either. This was sprung on us rather suddenly."

Tim looked past the ranger towards the burning rubble of the trailer. The flames were decreasing as the small structure was reduced to ashes and embers, and the way the flames were melting the snow off of the trees around it helped to extinguish it. "Never thought I'd be so happy to see so much snow. It probably protected the trees around here. Any other day, and I would have expected the damage to be much worse."

The ranger looked a little surprised by McGee's concern for the habitat. He looked up at the branches above the trailer rubble, and then back at McGee.

"Yeah, some minor damage, but nothing too extreme. We're all thankful it didn't happen a few months ago. After such a dry summer, everything would have gone down. The force of the explosion sent chunks of wood everywhere, and the fire would have spread quickly. The snow is so thick, everything tossed was extinguished."

McGee nodded at the ranger, visions of the entire forest being on fire with Tony and Gibbs lying in the brush racing through his head.

"I need to get back to the road so that I can check on my boss, and find out what we're going to do with the scene. What do you need from us?" he asked, trying to think about something, anything, else.

"We'd sure like to know why this happened. Park Director said it was about Shane, but I didn't even know Shane _had_ brother, nonetheless that he's a Fed. We're pretty fond of the guy around here. Dr. S calls him her protégé. Other than that, a basic report would suffice, so that when we put in to have the trailer replaced, it will be covered under the insurance. Those are your cars down there, I take it?" he asked.

"Yeah, we'll get them out of the way, and back to the resource lot for you," Tim said, looking down the road, and seeing the line of people stretching down, still passing buckets.

"I'm going to send some of these folks back with you, if you wouldn't mind getting them to the resource center, and help them start getting warm."

McGee nodded. "Sure, anything we can do."

They started walking towards the line of people. "The Director will be there with blankets, a change of clothes, towels and coffee for everybody. He's got bad lungs, so he had to stay away from the fire. Got caught in the wildfires down south back in '85, and scarred his lungs pretty badly."

Ernest began pulling people from the line, and sent them walking down the road. McGee watched as Ziva got Parke and Shane into the golf cart, and they headed off as well. Critten came to stand with him.

"What are we doing?" he asked.

"We're going to get these people down to the road, put them in our cars, and start shuttling them back to the resource center. We'll need to check in with Gibbs, Tony and Fornell first to know what the steps will be after that." McGee watched as Critten took in the scene around them. He felt like something was different about him, and knew that something was changing for the younger agent that night.

McGee and Critten checked in with Ernest before leaving.

"How many are you sending?" McGee asked.

"Half the line. Another group is preparing to replace them, and should be here pretty soon," Ernest said, tapping a blonde woman that was soaked and shivering.

"What is the Parke Director's name, so we know who to talk to when we get in there?"

"Phillip Jenkins. Everyone just calls him Phil though. Thought you met him already?"

McGee looked at Critten. "Yeah, we met him, but he didn't tell us he was the Park Director," Critten said.

Ernest chuckled. "He's not what anyone thinks of when they consider the person responsible for the whole park, at least not when you first meet him. He's the kind of guy that would prefer to be in the trenches with everyone, does his fair share of the work load, and when weather is bad, he fills in at the RC, and makes sure everyone is somewhere safe and warm. On top of that, he's friendly, personable, and yet manages to instill the fear of God into you when push comes to shove. And you should have seen him take on the suits when they tried to pull funding for the park a couple years back! Whew, do not mess with his parks! No, sir!"

McGee smiled at Critten, and nodded at Ernest. He decided he liked both Ernest and Phil, and would make sure their toes weren't stepped on during their investigation. "I'll be sure not to do that," he joked. "We'd better get going. Gotta check in on Gibbs and Tony, and find out what we're going next, then get your people back to the center to get warm before they need more than blankets and coffee."

Ernest nodded at him, and slugged his shoulder before he and Critten took off down the road. There was a trail worn into the snow by time they started making their way that made things easier, and both men were grateful.

"People are never quite what they seem, I guess," Critten said quietly as they started off.

"That's one thing that has never really stopped surprising me," McGee replied. "Probably never will."

* * *

Gibbs, Tony and Fornell found ambulances waiting for them back on the main road. The park ranger they were with, helped Fornell hobble over to one of them. Tony and Gibbs wrapped their arms around one another's waists, and together, they managed to get to the other. The paramedics jogged up to meet them as they sat down in the back of the open vehicles. Even as they sat there, Tony's arm stayed around Jethro, and Jethro's arm stayed around Tony. Neither of them were aware of it, and they didn't see the little smile on the paramedic that began looking them over.

She saw that Gibbs' leg had started bleeding again, and hopped up into the truck to pull him to his feet, and help him into a seat. Tony stood up to try to get up there too, and suddenly turned, hanging on to the ambulance door, while he puked around the side of the vehicle.

"Tony?" Gibbs asked, trying to get to his feet before remembering he wasn't well either.

Tony held up his hand to tell him to stay put while he threw up the meager contents left in his stomach, most of which was coffee from their ride up. He had already known that he had a concussion because he was so dizzy, and he could tell his words were jumbling, but this confirmed it for him. The second paramedic from the truck had been helping Fornell get up into the other ambulance, but he ran over to Tony, motioning for the woman assisting Gibbs to hand him something.

Gibbs looked up at her as she reached into a cabinet, and grabbed a bottle of water and blanket. The man took them, and opened the blanket up to wrap around Tony, then opened the bottle of water to let him take a mouthful. "Don't swallow this, just rinse." Tony nodded, unfortunately familiar with the procedure. After Tony had followed his instructions, he helped him up into the ambulance, and sat him down on the gurney.

Gibbs sat back again now that he knew Tony was okay, and the woman placed a blanket around him as well. She smiled at him, and Gibbs felt her genuine warmth and concern. He tried to let go, and allow her to do what she had to do. "I'm Alexis, and this is John. We'll get you guys taken care of, don't worry Mister…?" She paused, waiting for Gibbs to fill in the blank.

"Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS. You can just call me Gibbs, everyone else does. That's Special Agent Tony DiNozzo."

"Right. Well, don't worry Agent Gibbs. Let's see what's going on. Looks like your leg got it pretty bad, and you're probably going to need sutures. Let's see your eyes." She pulled out a penlight, and flashed them in Gibbs' eyes. He pulled back, and she noticed his left iris barely constricted under the bright light. "And it looks like you've got a concussion as well. How's your head feel?" she asked. "Got any bumps or cuts?"

Gibbs reached up, touched the spot where the large lump was forming on his head, and winced. "Oh, yeah." Alexis looked back to where he touched, gently fingering some of his short silver strands away without touching the actual bump.

"That looks like a doozy. Sounds like you're taking a ride with Tony." She turned to look at John, and he nodded seriously as he checked both of Tony's eyes.

"Let's get you both buckled in," John said, leaning Tony back on the gurney.

Parke came over to the back of the bus, and leaned in. "Boss? You okay?"

"I'm alive. Your brother okay?"

"They're taking him in. He's in some pretty bad shock. I'm going with him."

Tony looked up at John, "We all need to go to the same place. Don't let them split us up, and call in an escort. His brother is under protective custody. Someone just tried to kill him." John looked at Alexis, who nodded and jumped out of the bus, jogging around to the front seat to make the call.

Parke jumped up and in to look Tony over really quick. "I've got my satellite phone. Do you want me to call anyone for you? Next of kin, or someone who can do your paperwork?"

Tony chuckled, and it made his head throb. Parke turned when Gibbs' voice startled him from behind. "Agent Parke, I'm his proxy. Don't worry, he'll be fine. Go be with your brother."

Both Tony and Gibbs saw the look of confusion on Parke's face, and Tony winced as he tried to sit up. John lifted the gurney so he wouldn't be laying so flat. "Greg, go. I'll be fine."

Parke nodded slowly, and jumped down to go back to Shane.

"Wait," Gibbs said, reaching into his pocket, and wincing at the motion. "Tell Ziva to take our car, and meet us at the hospital." He tossed the key to the younger man, who nodded again, and ran off to hand the key over to Ziva.

Alexis came back to join them, and she and John switched places so that she'd be riding in the back as John drove. The doors to the ambulance closed, and she strapped Gibbs into his seat. He and Tony locked eyes.

"What?!" Gibbs said. "What was I supposed to say with you sitting there laughing like a maniac?"

"I don't know. Are we going to tell them? I mean, I want to tell them. I'm going to be working with them, and I need to know that they trust me, but can they really trust me if I don't tell them?" He held up his finger to hold the thought as the vehicle started moving, and they bounced along the drive.

Alexis handed him a kidney shaped cardboard pan, and he immediately ended up using it. "Thanks," he said as she handed him his bottle of water to rinse with. She smiled, and took the pan, dropping it into a biowaste can, and handed him a fresh one in case he needed it again. Gibbs looked at him like he wanted to do more, anxious about how bad Tony must have gotten hit if he was so concussed to be throwing up. He had learned the levels of damage over the years, and the way Tony's words were just slightly off, and the heavy glaze on his eyes, told him that his lover was much worse off than he was letting on.

"I don't care if they know, Tony. Leon might though, so be sure you're ready for this. I'd hate to see this come down wrong if for some reason word got out." Gibbs leaned the good side of his head against the cabinet next to him.

"I'm tired of hiding already. To hell with it. If he tries to put me somewhere else, we'll build a boat, and sail away to somewhere warm." Tony leaned back against the gurney, closing his eyes.

"Tony!" Gibbs snapped.

Alexis turned around from the report she was filling out, and shook Tony's shoulder. "No sleeping, Agent DiNozzo." Tony's eyes snapped open. "No one slips into a coma under my watch."

"Sorry, just so tired this time." Tony swallowed hard.

"This time?" she asked, then looked at Gibbs. "How many times has he done this?"

"You mean how many concussions have I had? I stopped counting at a dozen, but McGee has been keeping tally, and I currently hold the NCIS record." Alexis looked at him sternly.

"You know how important it is then for you to stay awake and alert. Sounds like you have something important to figure out anyway, and soon. We'll be there in ten. If you two want to be in the same room, your agent is going to figure y'all out. So, decide." She gave Gibbs the same stern look she was giving Tony, and he realized their lack of discretion. "Hell, I had the two of you figured out the first moment I saw you. Your agents are going to figure it out soon enough if you keep acting all protective of each other." She waved a hand in the air, and went back to filling out her report. Tony laughed again, and Gibbs sighed heavily.

"I'm going to tell them. I'd prefer to tell them together though, so hopefully Critten is following us."

Gibbs smiled at him. He wasn't quite sure what he was feeling, but it was something good, and it ran deep.

"You look surprised," Tony said, a small smile on his own face.

Gibbs shrugged.

"I'm not ashamed of us, Jethro. They're my team now, and it's already becoming personal. It took our team _years_ to get that way, but I've been over them, what? A week now? And already I've got a concussion for 'em. I've got a feeling we're going to be pretty tight knit, and in that case, not telling them about the most important person in my life would be…"

"Betrayal," Alexis supplied, finished with her report.

Tony looked at her in shock, gesturing with his hands at her interjection into their personal conversation. "What? I've been there!" she snapped. "And you can't talk, and not expect me to hear. I'm standing right here." Gibbs chuckled, and Tony looked at him in shock as well, but he couldn't help but smile broadly.

The ambulance slowed down, and Alexis braced herself. A moment later, they bumped over the entrance curb to the hospital, and came to a stop. As the door opened, Tony saw the flashing blue and red lights reflecting off of the building, and knew that they were given the requested police escort. Nurses came along with a wheelchair for Gibbs, and then Tony's gurney was pulled out of the bus. There was a flurry of nurses and paramedics as they were all unloaded, and taken into the hospital.

Tony saw Alexis talking to a woman that appeared to be the head nurse, and they pointed to both him and Gibbs. He watched their discussion curiously. Gibbs was leaning forward in the wheelchair they had put him in, watching as Fornell was wheeled in, chewing out his nurse. Tony was distracted by Gibbs' snickering, and he looked at him.

Gibbs shot him a look, a silent invitation to watch the events unfolding, and Tony craned his neck to see. Fornell was complaining about having to be wheeled in, demanding a set of crutches so he could be on his way. The further down the hall they wheeled him, the paler he got. Gibbs looked back up at Tony and whispered, "He's afraid of hospitals." Tony struggled to keep the bark of laughter in, gasping for air as he turned his head towards the wall, and tried to desperately contain himself.

"Having fun yet, Tobias?" Gibbs asked, the smirk obvious in his voice. That broke all of Tony's restraint and he burst out laughing, grabbing his head as the bandaged area of his temple began throbbing.

Alexis came to stand next to him, checking the bandage with a nurse. His head wound had begun bleeding again, and he moaned. The laughter left Gibbs' voice. "Tony? You okay?"

"Yeah, Jethro. I'll be okay." His words slurred a little more this time, and he laid back to try breathing slowly. He chewed on his lip, concentrating on letting the pain subside.

Alexis' voice was soft near his ear. "I told the head nurse to make sure you and Agent Gibbs are kept in the same room, since you're each other's medical proxies. That way you can be sure of the other's condition." Tony smiled faintly up at her.

"Thanks for everything, Alexis."

"Good luck, and take care of each other," she said quietly, and squeezed his arm before smiling at Gibbs, who nodded at her. A moment later, she was gone, and Tony and Gibbs were both being moved into a room.

They saw Fornell, Shane and Parke go by their room, and be placed in the room next door. The officers that escorted them to the hospital took up a post outside of their rooms, and Tony turned to look over at Gibbs. "I know I should really want to know what's going on, but all I really want, is to be curled up on your couch in front of the fireplace, sleeping."

"Am I there, too?" Gibbs asked, looking at Tony's pale face and glazed eyes. He wanted to forget the entire day, starting at the moment they had been awakened by Tony's phone ringing.

"Oh, you're definitely there." Tony winked at him, and then let his head fall back and his eyes close.

"Tony! Wake up! You can't sleep. Come on, stay with me." Gibbs sat up in the bed they had put him in, and winced when his own head swam. He picked up the box of tissues on the small table next to him, and pelted it at Tony's stomach. Tony sat up startled. Gibbs sat back in relief.

The doctor and two nurses walked in, and headed over to Tony's bed. They began setting up an IV, and Gibbs watched as the doctor examined Tony, and asked him questions. He saw Tony look at him a couple of times, and wondered if his answers would have been different if he wasn't in the room. Everything he was saying sounded truthful though, and he tried not to stress. Tony would be fine, and he knew that, but he hated seeing him in pain, and the fact that he wasn't hiding how much pain he was in this time meant it was bad.

"We'll get you in for a CT shortly. For now, we're going to put some Tylenol in your IV for the pain, and something for the nausea. Linda here will get the gash on your head cleaned up, and we'll see if you need sutures if the bleeding doesn't stop. It's not a fun place to have stitches, so if we can butterfly it, we would rather." Tony nodded, wincing as he instinctively touched the area they were talking about. The doctor took his hand, and pulled it back down. "And touching that probably won't help," he said with good humor.

"Yeah, figuring that out," Tony joked back. The doctor nodded, and then turned to Gibbs, pulling a stool up next to his bed.

"How you doing over here Agent Gibbs?" he asked.

"Been better, Doc." Tony turned to watch Gibbs' evaluation as intently as Gibbs had watched his. He ignored Linda's shuffling around him as she loaded his IV with the medications, and looked past her as she cleaned his dressing. She was the nurse that Alexis had been talking to, and she made room so that Tony could watch Gibbs and the doctor talk.

The doctor examined Gibbs' eyes with his light, and told him that he'd have the joy or a CT as well, and then looked at the knot on the back of his head. After that, he moved to Gibbs' leg, and unwrapped the dressing. He nodded, and turned to the other nurse. "Hey, Sylvia? He's going to need sutures, and there's still some smaller splinters in here we're going to have to dig out." He met Gibbs's calm expression. "This isn't going to be pleasant. Would you like a local?"

"Why not? If I'm going to be stuck in this bed all night anyway, it's not going to hurt anything."

The doctor looked at Sylvia, and she nodded, leaving the room to gather what they would need. Gibbs looked at Tony, who looked to his leg, and then back. Gibbs gave him a faint smile, and leaned back to stare at him. Tony did the same, and they locked eyes while they waited for Sylvia to come back, and Linda to finish cleaning and bandaging Tony's wound.

* * *

Ziva drove a car full of people back to the Resource Center, and led them inside. They were met by Phil with towels, blankets and clothes, shuffling them off into the back offices to change and dry off. Tim and Critten each showed up with more, and Critten said he was going back for another load.

Ziva stepped outside, and pulled out her satellite phone. Abby answered on the first ring. "This is Abby!"

"Abby!" Ziva started, not looking forward to delivering the news of what had happened so far. "Abby, I have to tell you something, but before I do, let me tell you that everyone is safe."

"Ziva, I don't like the sound of that. What's going on?" Abby's voice was suddenly shaky and quiet.

"There was an explosion. Gibbs and Tony were running from the blast, and both got hit with debris. They have been taken to the hospital, but both are conscious, and able to hold conversations." Abby sighed on the other end, and Ziva continued. "Agent Fornell was there as well, and he hurt his ankle. It appears to be broken. We have located Shane Douglas, though he is going by Shane Parke. He was also taken to the hospital, though it appears that was for shock."

"Wait, why was Fornell there?" Abby asked.

"That has not been determined yet. With the chaos of the explosion, and all of the people it took to put the fire out, we had to start getting those that were damp and left out in the cold, to some place safe and warm. McGee, Critten and I are at the park's office. We are going to be heading over to the hospital soon to figure out exactly what happened, but I wanted to let you know before the notification came through."

"How is Timmy doing?" Abby asked.

"He is doing well. He located both Gibbs and Tony after the blast, and managed to get them back on their feet. When I found them, we got them out of the woods, and then he started talking to the park rangers." Ziva looked around to make sure no one was there to hear her, and then began speaking softly into the phone. "He is actually doing much better than I expected him to. I knew he would be able to do the job, but I had not expected him to take control so easily when it was needed. He does not feel so confident, but he has no reason to doubt himself. For his first real case as Gibbs' Senior Field Agent, he has certainly proven himself worthy."

"Ziva! How could you doubt him?!"

"I only doubted he would do so as naturally as he has. You would be very proud of him, Abby."

"I always am. So, what hospital are our guys at?" Abby asked, already tapping away at her computer.

"I am not sure. I was hoping you could tell me. We were trying to get people to some place dry when the ambulances left, and my cell phone does not work at all out here." Ziva could hear Abby clicking away on the other end of the line. She pinged Gibbs' cell, and got a response.

"They're at Williamsport Regional. I just sent directions to your phones, and the car's GPS units. You'll basically get back on 87, and take it south into Williamsport, and my guess is there will be signs, because it's like, right by some little airport. Has anyone told the Director yet?" Abby's mind was racing with a million things, but she was hoping that there might be a way to take a plane out to that little airport, and get over to the hospital.

"I believe McGee is doing that right now. I am going to go find out if we are able to leave. I just saw Critten come back with the last group of volunteers for the fire line."

"Fire line? As in, person to person, bucket to bucket, that kind of fire line?" Abby asked, her fingers stopping their investigations on her keyboard.

"Yes. The explosion was in the middle of the forest, and they were running buckets to put it out because the snow would not allow any vehicles to get close to the fire. All we had was a small cart with a snow shovel on it that they use for the parking lots."

"Huh!" Abby exclaimed. "That's kind of nifty that they still do that. I suspect I had better start digging so that way when the Director asks me to find out what happened to Gibbs and Tony, I have something I can tell him. Send Timmy my love, and let Gibbs and Tony know when you see them that I'm doing everything I can, and they had better call me as soon as they are able! I want to hear that they're okay!" Abby said, sounding somewhat distraught as her voice broke.

"I will make sure they call you as soon as possible. You will probably hear from them before I see them," she said, trying to comfort her.

"I'm sending you all mental hugs!" Abby said.

Ziva laughed as the phone disconnected, and she headed back in to find McGee.

"We're in the clear to head over to the hospital," he said. "I called Vance, and he said that he had just gotten word from the FBI that our investigations had stumbled into one another. The FBI will be coming in to take care of the scene. Apparently, they were following a trail of bomb making supplies, and somehow, that crossed something to do with Shane. Fornell will have the details for us."

Ziva nodded.

"I spoke with Abby. She says to send you her love, and made me promise to have Gibbs and Tony call her." She watched McGee's face light up at the mention of Abby. She made a note to herself to call Dion once they got the information on the case at the hospital. Making sure Gibbs and Tony were okay was first priority, and it was a priority that she was getting more and more anxious to take care of.

Tim talked to Phil for a few minutes, and then collected Critten from the throng of park employees that he was taking care of. On the way out, Phil stopped them. He handed them each a large plastic thermal cup with the park's logo on it. "For the road," he said. "Good luck." They all smiled at the cup of coffee in their hands, and Tim shook his hand again, thanking him before they turned to leave.

They each took a car, and caravanned out of the park. Critten turned the radio up, a little hard rock playing that he jammed to. He thought about what McGee had said to him in the forest as he pounded out a beat on the steering wheel, and intermittently sucked down some of the strong coffee in his new travel mug. He had seriously doubted his place on the team for the past six months, constantly wondering if that was where he really needed to be. When he was able to track down the missing boys with Parke in the Northridge case, it felt wonderful, and then Simmons had doused the spark of hope that was being kindled within him that maybe he was where he belonged after all.

Watching Greg and Shane together had been even more fulfilling, because he personally knew how crucial his work was to finding Shane's location, and just how much it meant to Greg to find his brother. There were those few magical words that McGee had said though, that meant the world to him, and he let them sink deeply into him, making him feel like he finally belonged: Glad you're here. Nothing had ever felt so right as being there tonight, and he realized right there, in the middle of the forest, that he was happy, and NCIS was home.

* * *

Tony came back from his CT to an empty room. He had just passed Gibbs in the hall as he waited for his. He'd watched the doctor pull piece after piece of wood from the deep gash in Gibbs' leg. McGee had pulled as many of the larger chunks out as possible, but without light, there was no way he could have gotten the slivers that the doctor had spent half an hour working on. Tony realized that Gibbs had been in real pain when he said okay to the local, and that had made him hyper vigilant, helping him over the sleepy hump that the concussion had been trying to pull him under by.

When the nurse came in, she brought Parke with her. The young agent pulled a chair up next to Tony, and sat down.

"Hey, Boss. How ya feeling?" he said quietly.

"I'm fine. Cat scan says that nothing fell out, but damn does it hurt like hell. Not my first knock over the head though. Doc isn't too happy with that. We're starting to wonder how many more I'll be able to take." Tony laid back, sipping on the water they had finally cleared him to have. "How's your brother?"

Parke smiled. "He's much better. They gave him something to help him relax, and he's sleeping. I've never been so relieved as when I saw him sitting there next to Agent Fornell. He wasn't really able to tell me everything that happened. First, there was the shock, and then the drowsiness of the medication. I'm hoping we'll get more information soon."

"I'm hoping to get some sleep soon. I can't even begin to tell you how tired I am," Tony admit. He kept looking towards the door, hoping that Gibbs would come through.

Parke looked over his shoulder at the doorway to see what Tony was looking at, and finding nothing there, he turned back. "So, how is Agent Gibbs?"

"Not sure. Waiting for the CT scan. His leg was pretty tore up, but he should be fine. Any word from the others?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"They're on the way. Should be here soon."

"Good. Hopefully they'll get here, we can all find out what the hell happened, and I can pass out for a couple of hours. Gibbs hasn't had coffee in going on six hours now, and I think he's about ready to kill somebody." Tony let his eyes shut, and the room immediately felt like it was spinning. "I used to love the spinning rides when I was a kid. My mom would take me to the boardwalk, and to the fairs that would come around, and I would ride anything that spun. I'm pretty sure it was preparation for all of the head injuries. Dizziness is now my least favorite symptom of any illness or injury. I'd rather bleed profusely, be nauseous, in pain… but the dizziness makes everything feel unreal. I hate it."

The nurses wheeled Gibbs' bed back into the room, and locked it into place. Parke stood up to leave Tony and Gibbs alone to talk about Gibbs' CT scan, getting the feeling that he was intruding. "Careful, Agent Gibbs. I think they gave him painkillers. He's talking about amusement park rides."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at Tony as Parke left. Tony shrugged. "Just a little bit of something, not a full dose. This one really hurts, Jethro."

"Yeah, I know." He watched Tony try to settle in, and he yearned to touch him. He looked at the door, and he sat up. Tony watched as Gibbs limped over and shut the door, then hobbled over to him. He brushed the hair away from Tony's bandage, sitting on the edge of the bed. His fingers slipped between Tony's, and their hands locked around one another tightly.

"This feels like it was meant to be- meant to show us what we're going to have to deal with when we're not able to be there for each other in the field. I don't like it," Tony admitted.

"I don't like it either, Tony. If it had been McGee and I going to that door alone, and Ziva had been the one to find us, I don't know if she could have done what McGee did. The whole dynamic of things, the balance, is going to be off now…"

"I'm going to miss you," Tony said, flat out stating what they both were thinking. "I'm going to miss you, and I'm not ever going to feel as safe as I feel as when I know you're there with me."

Gibbs swallowed hard. "I'm going to miss you, too, Tony," he said softly. He very gently leaned forward, and let his forehead lean against Tony's. Tony's hand came up, and grasped Jethro's neck, holding him there. A moment later, their lips touched, and the gentle kiss they shared conveyed the desperation they both felt, and the resignation to the fact that they were losing something very important to them.


	30. Chapter 30

McGee, Critten and Ziva walked into the hospital, dead to the world. The exhaustion had begun sinking in on the way over, and now that they knew the FBI was taking care of the scene, visions of a hotel bed somewhere safe and dry were weighing heavily on their minds. It was after midnight by the time they were allowed into the room with Gibbs and Tony. Fornell had been released, and was sitting in a chair in the hallway with a heavy cast on his foot. He got up on his crutches, and followed the agents into the room. Parke heard the voices from Shane's room next door, and came to join them.

Tony and Gibbs had gone back to separate beds, though they had managed to push them slightly closer together when no one was looking. It was still too far away for either of their comfort. They both felt more than a little dizzy still when they tried to sit up, and Gibbs knew that they had done themselves in worse than usual. Tony's nurse had held off on more pain medications until Tony had the chance to discuss everything with the team, and Gibbs was wondering if he might have to take something soon as well. The throbbing in the back of his head and up his leg was destroying his focus anyway, and some sleep sounded good now that he knew the nurses would be in constantly to check on them.

Fornell fell into the worn out visitor's chair, and Ziva leaned against the wall, while McGee perched on the window sill. Parke closed the door, and slid down to the floor against it. Critten joined him.

"Alright, Tobias- you first," Gibbs said.

Fornell sighed deeply. "We were tracking a series of shipments that started coming in off of a ship that we usually find drugs smuggled on, only this time, the shipments weren't drugs. Instead, they were the components needed for manufacturing small bombs. It was unusual, to say the least. We opened a container, expecting some kind of cover that would be stuffed with the drugs. One time, it was teddy bears, another time it was desk lamps that the bases screwed off of. This time, when we intercepted the containers, it was a very obvious, no holds bar, collection of bomb making materials. Jugs of liquids, caps, fuses, wires… it was like someone stuffed the damn thing to send to al Qaida."

Everyone looked around the room at each other wearing similar expressions of confusion and disbelief.

"Yeah, that's what we thought. It was a little _too_ obvious. Long story short, it was a distraction. There were containers that made it by while we were too busy with that one that had the drugs in them. We figured it out, and began tracking the containers down, and found out where the drugs were being shipped. They were linked with a couple of groups in New York that would then sell up and down the west coast. That's when we found out that the container full of bombing materials had been paid for by this cartel group with a beef against Shane."

At the mention of his little brother, Parke sat up, the adrenaline spiking in his blood. Tony noticed the rapid change in him, and his eyes flicked to Elly, who had noticed as well, and had the look of a man on standby.

"Shane fell under an abridged version of protective custody this summer. He had apparently gotten out of prison in Los Angeles to find out that the cartel wanted him dead. They thought he had heisted a bunch of their dough, but he hadn't."

"We know," Parke said, a little more edge to his voice than he meant.

"Right, well when he got wind of their plan to take him out, he knew he had to leave. He decided he would come out to New York, where he'd sent this kid, Jayson, that he'd been protecting, to hide out and hopefully get lost in the shuffle. He searched pretty hard for the guy, and once he found him, realized that not much had changed. He'd gotten involved in a gang in New York, and when they saw him talking to Shane, they got suspicious. Shane was trying to talk him into leaving the gang, and somehow or another, they thought that Shane was a narc."

Tony winced, and looked over at Gibbs. Tim and Ziva looked at Tony with sympathy, knowing that there was a time he _was_ a narc, and suspected that he knew more than anyone about what being associated with one did to someone in a gang.

"The other gangbangers didn't like it, and they made sure to let the kid know about it. He blamed Shane for getting involved in his life. In his anger, he let Shane know that he'd not only screwed him over once, but twice, because _Jayson_ was the one that had stolen the other half of the dough." Gibbs looked over at Tony, and they shared a nod that one of their assumptions had panned out. They both felt an overwhelming sense of relief that it wasn't Shane, and Tony began to relax.

"He'd passed it off to his girlfriend, and after he made his drop, they were going to run off together. He had tried to get in touch with her while on the road to New York, and she told him that she'd meet him there, yadda yadda, and she never showed. Guess she took the money, and ran. To get his revenge, Jayson got in touch with the cartel boss in L.A., and told him where he could find Shane, saying that _Shane_ had the other half of the cash. Cartel boss got smart though, and tracked them _both_ down. Shane escaped, but Jayson wasn't so lucky. His body was left in a playground with a note for Shane nailed to his chest, thankfully put there _after_ the bullet to the head."

Tony swallowed hard, trying to keep the bile down that was rising in his throat. Elly reached up and pulled Greg back to lean against the door, and kept his hand on his friend's shoulder. Gibbs noticed that McGee was looking a little paler than usual, and wondered if he was going to have to make use of the barf bucket the nurse had left for Tony.

Fornell continued. "Our agents in New York wanted to put Shane in protective custody, but he refused. He had just found out about this program he had wanted to apply to with the parks district, and they saw that as an opportunity to hide him in the middle of nowhere, no offense Jethro." Gibbs shrugged a little, and grunted at the reference. "They changed his last name, changed the state his G.E.D. was from, and we gave him a recommendation into the program. It was the perfect fresh start.

"When the bombing supplies came through, and we connected it back to his old gang and their cartel boss, we started checking in on him. He was extremely careful, making sure not to have _any_ online accounts, and wiped himself virtually off the planet. His girlfriend though, didn't know the story, and she started posting about him on her Facebook. She didn't know his past, and referred to him simply as Shane, but we're thinking that's how they knew where he was.

"We got word from an anonymous source that they were afraid someone had found him, and that he was in danger. The person said that they were going to try to get to him to warn him, but thought we should know. At that point, we had to pull him. The New York agents that had been working on his identity got in contact with us, because that anonymous source had apparently made the call from a phone they tracked to D.C. Since I had worked with them initially after we made the materials connection, and the agents that Shane had worked with were in deep cover, I was sent to get him.

"I flew in this afternoon, grabbed a car, and headed into the park. I was hoping that the snow would deter anyone from getting to him before I did, but when I gave him the code words, and he let me into the trailer, he started grabbing stuff to take with him. I was arguing with him to leave it all, when we both realized that there was a wire sticking out of the back of his photo album.

"I looked closer, and we figured out that if we were to pick up the album, it would trip the bomb. There was a counterweight device placed underneath the damned thing. Of course, it would _have_ to be the one thing he wouldn't leave without. We argued for another ten minutes, and we were just switching the album out with something else of similar weight, hoping to give us enough time to at least clear the trailer, when you two jackasses started banging on the door.

"The rest… well you all know what happened next."

"A little too well," Tony said, resting his head back, and staring at the ceiling.

"Because we're still tracking the bomb crap, we're going to take the trailer, and hopefully connect these sons of bitches to it, and bring them down. Until then, Shane needs to remain in protective custody."

"He'll stay with me," Parke said with such force that everyone turned to stare at him.

"I figured on that," Fornell said, raising his hands to ward off the younger man's temper. "You better be prepared though- from what I hear, he's pretty damn dedicated to working with those plants. He's not going to want to stay in D.C. for long. We're going to work this case as quickly as possible, because time is of the essence if we're going to get the cartel leaders, so hopefully that will put him back in the park before spring really sets in. I can't make any promises though, and you need to be ready for that backlash. He wasn't pleasant to our agents at first when he thought he was going to have to step down from it."

Parke smiled proudly. "That's Shane."

Fornell smiled back, then turned his eyes to Gibbs and Tony. "Now, it's your turn. What in the hell were you guys doing there? Does it really take six of you?"

Tony shot Fornell a glare, but started telling their story. "Short version? Parke and Critten were trying to track Shane down, since he took off without leaving a forwarding address, and Parke was worried about him. They had managed to find him, but we had an incident last night where one of our so called security agents, Leonard Santiago, trashed the bullpen looking for something. The only thing that we could figure out was missing of any value, was the thumb drive with Shane's whereabouts on it. We all came out to find Shane before Lenny could. Lenny used to be part of the same gang in L.A., so we figure he's being sent to off him."

"So you think this guy could still be on his way to the park?" Fornell asked.

"He'd have to make it past our encryptions first," McGee said. "Either that or follow us. If he followed us, he would have shown up by now."

"Did you sign them?" he asked McGee.

"Sure did. Critten and I both."

Fornell shrugged. "It's not like he's going to get past your work. I would kill for an agent who could."

Critten beamed at McGee, who smirked back.

"We've got BOLOs out on him, and I'm sure he'll turn up soon. For now, everyone is as safe as they're going to get. I think it's time we all got some rest," Tony said. Everyone groaned in thanks for those magic words. "I do need to talk to my guys though before they head out, so if you all want to start getting arrangements made, they'll be with you shortly."

Parke and Critten looked at one another, and got to their feet to let the other agents out.

Ziva covered a yawn as she headed for the door. "I am glad you both are alright. You need to get in touch with Abby before you go to sleep though, otherwise you may not stay alright," she warned with a smile. "Already did," Gibbs nodded, and returned her smile.

"That goes double for me. I'm glad you're both okay. Are they releasing you in the morning?" McGee asked.

"Should be, as long as the dizziness stops," Tony said.

"Then we'll be back in the morning. If anything changes, call us right away. We'll probably be at the Holiday Inn next door. I can't imagine they won't have any vacancies." Tim shuffled Ziva out into the hallway, and Fornell closed the door behind him, looking at Gibbs curiously before he left.

Parke took the chair Fornell had vacated, and Critten went to sit on the windowsill in McGee's old spot. They both felt on edge by the serious tone their boss had suddenly set, and the fact that Gibbs was sitting up in bed and staring at them, made them even more nervous.

"What's going on, Boss?" Parke asked, his eyes flickering back and forth between Gibbs and the man in front of him.

"Well, there's something I feel like you guys should know. We've already been through a lot this past week together, and with how close you're starting to get with Ziva and McGee, I don't want you to find out secondhand. It's kind of sensitive information, and I might get canned for telling you, but I trust you both, and I don't want to give you any reason not to trust me, so I'm telling you." Tony watched both of their expressions, testing the waters with the words used. He noticed the way Critten's spine straightened at the mention of being trusted, and he saw the warmth in Parke's eyes when he talked about them all coming together. He knew that he was making the right decision in disclosing this with them. He looked at Gibbs, and got the nod, and he continued.

"Becoming your team lead was very unexpected. I had no idea when we got thrown together that I'd come to care about you both so quickly, and so much, but it happened. I had no intentions of ever becoming a team lead outside of the MCRT, and only with Gibbs retired. I'd been offered the position in the past for another team, and apparently, I was going to be offered another in the fall, but all of that changed a few weeks ago." The nausea made itself known again, and Tony grabbed his water and took a sip, hoping to stave it off. Both of the younger agents shared a glance, and then chanced glances at Gibbs to find that he was raptly following the conversation.

"The, uh, nature of Gibbs' and my relationship evolved into something more personal, and we aren't allowed to work together anymore."

It took a minute for Critten to get it, but Parke looked like he had been given the missing piece to a puzzle. He smiled, and looked back and forth between Gibbs and Tony. "That would explain why you're each other's medical proxies. I get it now."

Critten looked at Parke, and then looked at Tony and Gibbs, and then the light bulb went off over his head. His mouth dropped open, and he nodded slowly. "The two of you are together?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Tony said with a smile at Gibbs. He looked back at Parke and Critten, "It's a long time coming actually, but we finally just… gave in. We were trying to give it a little time before we made the announcement publicly, but then we had a situation, and the Director found out. Thankfully, Simmons ended up pregnant, and he offered me her spot in the interim, which would have given us a while to decide what we wanted to do."

Tony took another drink of his water, trying to find the right way to say what he needed to.

"I didn't want you guys to find out later, and think that the only reason I have fought so hard against Kathy was so that I'd get to stay in D.C. You are both extremely talented, and you have a lot of heart, and if I would have known earlier what was going on over there, I would have done something sooner. It's going to be awesome working with you both, and I'm going to be there for you every step of the way. I'm used to my team being my family, and I feel like we're going to have that together, too. I want to be able to share the big stuff happening in my life with you guys, like I'm sure you'll share with me. I really just…" He took a deep breath, and let it out. "I just wanted you to know."

Parke smiled, and nodded. "Thanks for telling us."

Critten suddenly chuckled.

"What?" Tony asked, his eyes shifting to Parke before looking up at Critten.

"Something McGee and I were talking about earlier. He said that people have never really stopped surprising him, and that they probably never would. I gotta say, this is definitely a surprise. Not a bad surprise!" he was quick to add, "But definitely a surprise. Like Greg, I'm really glad you told us. You're probably right- if I would have found out a year from now, I probably would have doubted a lot of things, but knowing up front, it makes sense."

"Doesn't change anything for me, Boss. I'm still glad things are playing out like they are. You can count on us not to say anything. I get what you're saying this looks like." Parke shrugged, and got to his feet. "You've protected my family- I won't let anything happen to yours." He smiled brightly at Tony, and even chanced another look at Gibbs, who was smiling at Tony as well.

Critten got to his feet as well, stretching. "Same goes for me!"

"See! You guys rock! Okay, now that that is done with, go get some rest. We all deserve it." Tony laid back, pulling his blankets up around him.

"The nurses are going to let me sleep in the other bed in Shane's room for the night. I'm going to go get my bag from the car. Do you want me to grab yours for you?" Parke said, motioning to the both of them.

"That would be awesome. Thanks!" Tony said, adjusting his bed.

"Cool. I'll be back in a few."

Parke and Critten headed out of the room, leaving Gibbs and Tony lying there in exhausted relief.

"That went much better than I expected," Gibbs said softly. "You handled it really well."

"Thanks," Tony said. "I thought I was going to get sick there for a minute, but at this point, there's nothing left to throw up."

Gibbs tilted his head as he looked over at his lover. "I know this isn't exactly what we were hoping to be doing tonight."

"Nope, but we'll make up for it soon. I think we're going to have to wait a while for some "mercy" time. My head might not be able to take it," Tony said, his voice dropping to a rough and seductive tone that made Gibbs want to hobble back over to Tony's bed and kiss him senseless.

"Mine, too," he said instead. "Not to mention my leg might make that a little hard to do."

"You'll be using that foot to kick people's asses soon enough, Jethro."

Gibbs laughed, and laid back as they heard a knock on the door. Linda came in, smiling at the two men as they sat in the pale lamplight. "Are you two ready for those pain meds now? I saw your people finally letting you alone, and figured it was time to get some rest."

"Oh, God, yes, please. Bring 'em on!" Tony said.

"That's saying something, if _he_ wants them. He hates pain meds," Gibbs said with a smirk.

"The fact that _he_ isn't turning them down says even more," Tony said, lowering his bed as he settled in for some real sleep.

Linda plunged the syringe in her hand into Tony's IV, letting half of the dose in it start dripping. She chuckled at their banter, and then put the rest of the syringe into Gibbs' line as well. Parke came in, dropping their bags inside the door.

"Here you go! I'll be right next door if you need me." He closed the door behind him and Linda, and left the two of them alone again.

Gibbs looked over at Tony as he snuggled down into the blankets. "Ready to lose the light?" he asked.

"Definitely," Tony replied.

Gibbs pulled the chain up behind his bed, and the room was left in almost completely darkness.

"Hey, Jethro?"

"Yeah?"

"Love you."

Gibbs smiled broadly into the dark. "I love you, too, Tony."

"Sleep well," Tony said, already sounding dozy.

"You, too." A few minutes later, they were both deep in sleep.

* * *

Sunday morning came around, and the sunshine came with it. The room was filled with the bright warm light, and it soon woke both Tony and Gibbs. They had slept a solid six hours in deep slumber, and when Tony woke up and rolled over, he saw that Gibbs was staring at him from across the room, still lying in bed, smiling. He smiled back, and neither said a word. They laid there for almost ten minutes in silence, just staring at one another happily.

"Do you think the doc is going to clear us to drive?" Tony asked softly, finally breaking the silence.

"If we pass all of their tests this morning, maybe. We'd have to alternate every hour or so though. I don't feel dizzy anymore, but I don't know what it's going to be like when the world is whipping by at 80 miles an hour."

"Only eighty?" Tony joked. Gibbs tried to find something to throw at him, but there wasn't anything. They both laughed, and Tony decided to try to get up and test his stability.

"How ya doing?" Gibbs asked him.

"I think I'm good. I don't really feel dizzy. Maybe a _little_ bit lightheaded, but I'm not going to fall over. Have you tried yet?" Tony asked.

"No better time than the present, I guess." Gibbs swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "Leg is a little stiff. Glad I don't drive with that one." Tony watched as Gibbs got to his feet easily, and stretched. "A bit of headache, but I'm not dizzy or lightheaded."

"The headache is probably from caffeine withdrawal anyway," Tony said with a smirk. He pulled his IV stand with him as he made his way across the room. Gibbs stood there next to his bed, a small smile on his face as Tony got closer and closer.

"You know that as soon as you get close enough to kiss me, that door is going to open and the nurse is going to walk in," Gibbs said.

"I don't care." He leaned in, and let his lips brush against Gibbs'. The kiss deepened, and even morning breath didn't make them stop. A minute later, the need for air finally drew them apart, and Tony looked at the door. "We weren't even interrupted." He winked at Gibbs, and sat down on the edge of his bed. Gibbs sat down next to him.

"We'll need to get signed off by Ducky when we get back to D.C. if we're going to go in tomorrow," Gibbs said.

"Oh, no, no, no! You promised me when all of this was over, I'd get to snuggle up with you under that really warm comforter on your bed, and we'd sleep until I couldn't sleep anymore. I plan on making that nap last well into the morning tomorrow. We're taking tomorrow off!" Tony said jovially, but meaning every word he said.

"Tony, we just had a snow day last week, and both of our teams have been gone all weekend. We need to go in."

"No way! That's exactly _why_ we aren't going in tomorrow. We've been working all weekend. I get my day to sleep in." He leaned in, and took Gibbs' lips between his again, letting his tongue trace them lightly, seducing Gibbs' sense of duty over to the side that says to take care of _them_ before the paperwork.

Tony pulled back just a little. "Stay home with me tomorrow," he whispered, looking at the lips in front of him, his heart racing. He could hear Jethro's breath coming fast and short, and he felt an incredible sense of being wanted when he saw Gibbs' head nod gently. He smiled at his lover, despite the fact that his eyes were still closed from their kiss, and he leaned forward to kiss him again.

Jethro's hands went around Tony's waist, and he pulled him forward until they were body to body. Tony's fingers reached to entwine themselves in Jethro's hair, and his IV got caught on their robes. He hissed and pulled away, and Jethro reached out to check the needle.

Tony looked at him, and at the needle in his arm, and the matching one sticking out his lover's, and the laughter bubbled over out of his throat. Jethro began chuckling as well, and Tony's forehead gently fell against his while they chuckled heartily together.

"We're in a hospital, with IVs sticking out of our arms, in flimsy little gowns, recovering from concussions, and we _still_ cannot keep out hands off of each other!" Tony said quietly. His eyes rested on the way Gibbs' lips turned up into a full blown smile.

"Yeah, well, if we had any real privacy, I'd rip the damn IVs out, and prove to you that it doesn't matter where we are, or what we're wearing or not wearing- I still want you, and I always will."

Tony beamed at the words, and let his lips fall against Gibbs' again, stealing another kiss before getting back on his feet, and heading for his bed to call the nurse. He was ready to go home.

* * *

McGee and Critten had fallen onto the beds in their hotel room the night before with their clothes on, the lights on, and nothing unpacked. When Tim woke up to the sun pouring in through the open curtain, he realized his shoes were still on, and felt like he was back in college. The sun hadn't hit Critten's bed yet, and Tim read the time on the clock as 7:30. He rolled out of bed, closed the curtain, and picked up his bag on his way to the bathroom.

After showering and shaving, he felt like a new man. He gathered his things, and headed back out into the bedroom to find Critten still deep in sleep. The clock now read 7:58, and he wondered how much longer he should let the younger agent sleep. He had promised Gibbs and Tony that they'd be there in the morning, and he knew that they would be anxious to go once released. He picked up his phone from the nightstand, and rubbed the spot in his side where he had fallen asleep with his holster on before replacing it.

When Critten still hadn't woken up after the noise he was making, he decided it would be best to help him along. He shook him by the shoulder, saying his name gently. That simply caused Critten to roll over. Tim tried again, but still, there was very little reaction. Finally, with an evil smirk on his face, Tim picked up the pillow from the bed, and began beating him with it, announcing the wake-up call loud enough to probably wake Ziva next door.

Critten rolled out of bed, flailing and panting.

"Oh, good! You're up!" McGee said with a cocky smile.

"Jesus Christ, McGee!" Critten blurted out. "What the hell, man!"

"It's 0800. We have to get going or else Gibbs and Tony will kill us. Shower, dress, and I'll meet you downstairs."

McGee walked out of the room with his bag over his arm, and left Critten to take care of business without waiting for an answer. He dialed Abby's number as he meandered slowly down the hall towards the staircase to the lobby.

"Hello?" a groggy voice said into the phone.

"Hey, you," Tim said softly, a smile in his voice.

"Timmy!" Abby said, the perk in her voice almost overwhelming the sleepy. Tim leaned against the wall in the stairwell, smiling like a lovesick loon. "Miss you, Timmy," she said, sounding sleepy again.

"I miss you, too!" Tim said, wishing more than anything that he was waking up next to her, instead of in a hotel room two states away.

"Heard you rocked it yesterday," she said, sitting up with a yawn.

"Who said that?" Tim asked, surprised.

"Everybody. Ziva, Tony, even Gibbs."

"I can't imagine Gibbs saying that I rocked anything," Tim said with a chuckle and a blush.

"Well, he didn't say _rocked it_ , but he was totally grateful for you. And Tony said he owes you big time, which you know you'll sooo need to cash in on!" Abby pulled her knees up to her stomach, the blanket still over them as she leaned up against the wall of the coffin.

Tim just chuckled again. "I'm about to go get them from the hospital, that is, if they've been released. I hope they are, because if not, I'm going to be stuck here another night, and I want to come home. I don't think I ever want to step foot in Pennsylvania again, at least not for a long time."

"That bad?"

Tim thought about how to put it so that Abby wouldn't freak out. "Let's just say that the experience here won't be forgotten."

"Yeah, that bad." Abby rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and tried to wake up more so she could think straight. "You coming over when you get home tonight?"

"Definitely. I'm going to stop by the apartment, pick up some things, and then head over. You want me to pick up dinner?" he asked.

"I'm going to the store today, so I can grab something," Abby said, planning in her head.

"Sound great. I'll see you then," Tim said, starting down the stairs towards the lobby.

"Call me when you leave so I know when to start tracking you!" she said.

Tim laughed. "I'll let you know. Love you," he said.

"Love you, too, Timmy."

With the spring in his step of a man in love, Tim bounded into the lobby to find some breakfast.

* * *

When Greg woke up that morning, he found that Shane was already up. He was sitting in bed, flipping through the album page by page, smiling gently as he went along.

"Hey, kiddo," Greg said, sitting up and stretching before moving to sit on the edge of Shane's bed.

Shane turned the album around, and pointed to one of the photos. "Hey, man. Remember this?"

Greg looked at the picture of the two of them pretending to be eaten by a gargoyle around a fountain at a park that they would go to as kids. It was where they'd go when they wanted to get away from the second set of foster parents they went through.

"Aww, man!" Greg said, taking the album, and sliding it halfway into his lap. "I remember you had that shitty one-ten camera that you'd gotten at that thrift store. Remember that thing? You'd get film for it whenever you could, but you could never afford to get the pictures developed, and you had like, twenty rolls to get developed…" Greg laughed at the memory.

"Yeah, and then when you got that gig sweeping out the minimart for Mo-Mo, you got them developed one at a time for me. Every single one of those pictures is in this book." Shane looked at the album in his hands, running his fingers along the edge like it was sacred text. Greg watched as his expression changed to something sad and angry. "How did they know, man? How did they know that this is the one thing that I wouldn't leave without? Why would they put the damn wire in _this_ book?"

Greg shrugged. "Agent Fornell says that Penelope had put some stuff online about your relationship. Nothing substantial, but he says that he thought that would be how they found you." Shane's eyes closed a minute as he nodded, something about the suggesting making perfect sense to him. They suddenly snapped open again.

"Dude! And when in the hell did you become a Fed?! That's very cool. Very you."

"Well, I was working in the system in L.A., ya know? But something was missing. I loved what I did, and I was good at it, but I felt like I was too late. By the time I got to be around criminals, the damage was already done. This way, I get to be there, working with stuff as it happens, and stopping things before they can get worse. I get to be in the thick of things."

"You're good. I mean, you found me in the knick of time, so I take it you're good at it."

"We'd figured out where you were, my partner, Elly Critten, and I. We were going to come up this weekend, but we had someone search the office for something, I mean, tear it apart, and the only thing they stole were the memory sticks that had your info on it. It was so weird. They were looking for you." Greg shook his head, staring into Shane's eyes as he watched them widen.

"It's okay though. My boss, well, my new boss, Tony- he's awesome; you'll love Tony -he's always seemed like kind of a goof, but knowing him now, I can tell you that he's super dedicated, and he's definitely got my back. He gathered up his old team, that's Gibbs, their team leader, McGee and David, and sent us all out here together. Boss and Gibbs were the ones that came to the trailer to find you when it blew. We were just getting to the park." Shane nodded. "What about you, man? Plants? Really?"

Shane smiled.

"I was so sick of the concrete jungle! I ended up with these guys that were laying sod, mulching garden beds, and planting trees, and I realized that I felt better doing that than I had ever felt doing anything I had tried to do back in California. I mean, there was no one to be afraid of, and when I was done for the day, I got to step back and look at something beautiful that I had gotten to help create. I felt like- well, like I was bringing things to life, you know? After being around so much bullshit in L.A., and then everything that had been happening in N.Y.C., I just… plants don't talk man!" Greg laughed. "No! Seriously, man!" Shane was laughing too. "They don't bitch at you, they don't talk down to you and make you feel like shit, and they are so complex. You wouldn't think so, but they are, and without them, we'd be nothing. I got some books at the library, and they seemed all complicated at first, but it didn't take long for me to understand what they were saying, and that made me feel good, ya know? I felt _smart._ So I kept going with it, and it's good, ya know? It's good."

Greg was beaming as he looked at him. "I'm really proud of you little brother. Of all of the ways things could have turned out for you, you've held your ground, you've made the right choices, and you're… man, Nona would be so proud of you."

Greg saw the sudden shine that Shane's eyes took. They were both silent for a long moment, mourning the loss of the one woman that they loved like a mother. Nona had been a leader at the youth center they hung out at when they were kids. She had a huge heart, and a sharp tongue. The combination set many kids in their place, while letting them know someone gave a damn about them. She was particularly fond of Greg and Shane, and had been secretly asking around about what it would take to adopt them when she found out she had leukemia. It wasn't until she had passed that they had known. She hadn't told them in case it fell through, since she wasn't sure how successful the adoption petition from a single woman living in south central L.A. would be received.

Her guidance was the main reason that Greg had left when he was offered the scholarship. Nona had made him promise time and time again that he would put his mind to use, and go to college one day. She was one of the few positive influences in his life, and he was going to make sure that he didn't let her down.

"I know she's proud of you, too," Shane said quietly.

"I hope so. I almost lost you to go chasing it," Greg felt his voice crack. "Wasn't about to let that happen again."

"Things… things got rough, Greg. I didn't want you and Tiffany to get caught up in this mess. I _still_ don't want you caught up in it- but honestly, I ain't _ever_ been so happy to see you as I was last night!" Shane laughed a little, and Greg smiled broadly. "Man! Never been so happy to see my big brother! This shit's crazy."

"You know that you're not going back to the park for a while, right? I mean, we can't let you go back there if someone is just gonna try to kill you again." Greg cocked his head, and waited for his brother's reaction.

"Well, I figured not right away, but eventually, right? Because, that's my life. Dr. S and I have gotten pretty tight, and we're working on cross-breeding some of the endangered and threatened plants with heartier varieties of them, and we're planning on introducing them to this huge fertilized patch this spring, and by the end of the summer, if they attract the right kinds of birds and insects that normally would have gone after the endangered plants, we're going to make sure they get dispersed through the rest of the park."

Greg listened to Shane with an amazed rapture. The last time he saw his brother, they had been discussing his freedom from a wrongful incarceration, and he had admitted that he wasn't squeaky clean. To hear him now, and see the light in his eyes when he talked about _plants_ and _birds,_ had him mesmerized.

"Fornell says that the FBI is going to be going after these guys hard and fast, because they will go underground otherwise. Hopefully you'll be back in a couple of weeks. Until then, you're coming home with me and Tiffany." Shane smiled and nodded.

"That's good news. If this works, and we get the grant money we're applying for, for the total park transplantation next year, Dr. S and I are hoping that I'll be able to use the experience and accomplishment on my application to Penn State's botany program. We're trying to get scholarships so I can go, and she's told me that she's going to keep me on the program under her until I finish school."

Greg's hands jumped up in the air, and his mouth hung open in joyful surprise. "That's fantastic! That's so great man! You're applying to Penn State?"

"Yup. I'm going to do a lot of my classes online, so that way I can still work at the parks. She's going to put me in charge of a project this fall in Bald Eagle Forest, helping to track the different plant species that are growing well there, that aren't growing well here, and sample the soil to see what the differences are, and hopefully transplant some of the heartier plants up here." Shane was lit up like a Christmas tree as he explained the project to Greg. To watch him talk about something so scientific and intellectual with such enthusiasm had him both amused and proud as all hell.

"Damn," Greg said. "You know, so many times, when we were kids, we'd talk about running away from home, believing that there was something better out there for us. Looks like we finally did it."

Shane smiled at Greg, and Greg stared back at his kid brother.

"Yeah, we finally did."

* * *

Tony and Gibbs were both cleared by the nurses to go home. Thankfully, they were both also cleared to drive, after promising the doctor they would limit it to no more than an hour at a time. They were packed and ready to go by time McGee, Critten and Ziva showed up for them. Fornell was waiting out in the car with his crutches to get a ride to the airport, still afraid of the hospital.

They collected Parke, who introduced his brother properly to everyone on both teams. They were about to leave the lobby in one large group, when the doors opened, and a familiar face stumbled through, blood running down his side. Every agent pulled their weapon, and aimed it at the man as he collapsed to the floor.

"Lenny!" Shane yelled, running forward to the man's side, bending over to help him. "Help! Someone help!" Nurses and doctor's came running up to break through the semi-circle of agents holding their guns up. Greg was the first to lower his weapon, confused as to what was happening. The doctors and nurses that were responding to Shane's cries for help bent over them, separating Shane from the bleeding man beneath him. Greg was at Shane's side immediately.

"What the hell is going on here?!" one of the doctor's yelled.

"Shane! You know him?" Greg asked.

"Oh, God! That's Lenny! Lenny and I were friends back in L.A.! He and I were working together to get some of the kids out of the gang! I would… Oh, God! Lenny!" The nurses hoisted Lenny's body up onto a gurney. Lenny reached out for Shane, who went to his side and took his hand.

"You- you got to go, Shane. You gotta go! They're coming! I heard 'em. They- they're coming! I couldn't get to Jayson. I'm so sorry, Shane. I couldn't get to Jayson." Lenny's voice was fading, and the nurses and doctors rushed him away, leaving both teams and Shane standing in shock in the lobby. Greg wrapped an arm around Shane, and pulled him into his side. Shane's head fell to his shoulder, and he wept.

"I'm never going to get rid of them, Greg! I'm never going to get rid of them!"

Tony saw Linda behind the desk on the phone, frantically snapping at someone. He went up to the counter, and softly said her name. Her eyes turned up to him, the shock of what had just happened obvious on her face.

"Do you have somewhere we can go? A room around here?" She nodded vehemently, swallowing hard.

"Follow me."

"Okay, people! We're heading this way." The group shuffled behind Linda as she led them to an internal waiting room for the oncology department.

"They're closed on Sundays, so you can use this space for a while," she said.

"Thanks, Linda," Tony said, and she smiled sadly at him.

"I'll be in as soon as I have information for you," she nodded at Tony and rushed off, closing the door behind her.

Gibbs looked at Tony, his patience wearing thin with their situation. Tony felt it, too, but he had his team to think about at the moment before his lover's patience. "Greg, Shane, I need for you two to tell me what the hell's going on here, or we can't help."

"That was Lenny!" Shane blurted out. "We were trying to get the young ones out of the gang. When I got into the Blades, we were just your average street team. We weren't all that hardcore, you know? Then some of the up and comings decided to bring things up a notch, and they started talking with El Jefe about running. He preferred working with the Hispanics in our group. We were really one of the only mixed teams on the street, so that didn't sit right with a lot of us at first, but after we saw the kinda shit he was into, we knew we were lucky," Shane was rambling faster than Abby, and everyone in the room listened silently.

"He'd tried to pull Lenny into some crazy shit, but Lenny got smart, and got out. He had a friend whose older brother was a cop. So he went to the cop, and he said, I'll tell you everything I know, but in exchange, I need for you to arrest me, publicly, for something minor. I'll even do the time for it, but then I need my record expunged. That way, they'll know that he's in the system, and they won't think he's the narc, and then he can stay away from the gang, because they'll know that the cops are keeping an eye on him, so they won't want him anyway, right? And it worked! But I was still stuck in there, so I'd been working with Lenny and the youngest kids in the group, working to get them out of the city, away from the gang. El Jefe is a bastard, man! An evil bastard! I've seen fourteen, fifteen year old kids wash up on the news, and I had just seen them the day before!"

"Did you tell somebody?" McGee asked.

"We tried, man! He's got all sorts of people on his payroll! When the guys got tangled up with him, he wasn't so powerful, but now, he's out of control. He's got half of the west coast on his tab. I've never seen someone climb to the top of the food chain so fast."

Tony looked at Gibbs, and then back at the teams. "Shane, Lenny is the reason we were coming to find you. He became a security guard at NCIS just to find out who in our building had been researching you. He broke into our files in order to find any information we had on you, and he may be the leak that had your trailer blown up. We have to consider the possibility that he's been played into locating you so that others can follow him, to get to you. We need to know why they want you so badly if they don't believe you know where the missing money is."

Greg looked at Tony with dagger eyes, but he saw the genuine concern on Tony's face, and he felt torn between protecting his brother, and learning the truth.

Shane sighed. He couldn't meet anybody in the eye as he finally opened up his mouth to speak. "They're after me because I narced on them. Before I left, I sat down with an FBI agent, and gave him every detail I knew about where the operation was heading. I found out that the drugs weren't the only thing being trafficked, and I couldn't keep quiet- I couldn't stay silent. They're after me because I put a halt to their newest booming business. The sex trade brings in ten times the money that drugs do. They've never been after me for the money- it's always been that. They knew Jayson's girl had the money, because they had taken her. That's why Jayson had never heard from her again. I… I didn't have the heart to tell him. If I would have just found the balls, he'd not have run his mouth, and he'd still be alive. Hell, maybe he'd've even left the gang he was in, but I was too chicken-shit."

Everyone stood there in silence.

"Chicken-shit, my ass," Gibbs finally said, startling the group. "You sound like a lot of things, kid, but a coward certainly isn't one of them."

Tony beamed at Gibbs, thankful for the support. He saw Shane relax some. The younger man's normally caramel colored skin was red and raw from the tears and exhaustion racking his nerves.

"What now, Boss?" Parke asked. Everyone turned to look at Tony, and Tony's eyes locked onto Parke's. He knew that this was his moment of truth, and he wasn't going to let his team down.

"We bring them to us. They want to find Shane, we'll let them- but on our home turf. We go back to D.C., we regroup, and we'll be ready for them when they come."

Parke's eyes took on that cold lethal glint that he had when he first found out that someone had taken their thumb drive. This time though, Tony wasn't afraid of it, he was counting on it. Critten moved to stand next to him, and they knew that they were going into battle together.

Gibbs' and his team looked back and forth between Tony and his, and then shared looks with one another. They all knew then that Tony wasn't theirs anymore, and that they were no longer part of the investigation. It was the final break between them, and Gibbs tilted his head, motioning for Ziva and McGee to follow him out in order to leave the other four men alone to talk. Before closing the door behind them, Gibbs' eyes met Tony's, and they shared a silent goodbye to what once was.


	31. Chapter 31

Gibbs stood in the lobby, lost in his own thoughts while Tim went to update Abby, and Ziva went to tell Fornell that he needed to come in. His phone rang from his pocket, and he reached to grab it, knowing it was Vance returning the voicemail he just left.

"Gibbs."

"Gibbs," Vance greeted. "What in the hell do you mean Santiago is in the ER? What did you do to him?"

"Nothing!" Gibbs said, too confused to hide his offence. "We were about to leave when he stumbled in. He's actually Parke's brother's friend. They were running a tag team to get kids out of the gang in L.A., and it looks like he was trying to hunt down Shane to warn him that someone is coming, but they got to Lenny first. It's a mess."

"Does he know where the money went?" Vance asked straightforwardly.

"This was never about the cash, Leon. It was about Shane standing up to the gang, and stopping them from becoming pawns in a sex trafficking ring. He found out what they were getting into, and he turned them in before they could get wrapped up in it. From what it sounds like, even the FBI didn't know that was the beef. I imagine he told under anonymity, and wanted to keep it that way."

"How's your- How's DiNozzo doing with it all?" the Director asked, stumbling over himself, making Gibbs chuff and smile.

"Personally or professionally?" Gibbs asked quietly, looking around to make sure no one was overhearing him.

"Both," Vance said, intrigue in his voice.

"He's off and running. Have a feeling the three of them will be teamed up for years. You're gonna have your hands full."

Vance smiled on the other end of the line. "I've been wondering what it was going to take to duplicate what your team has for a long time now. Might learn to regret stumbling onto perfecting the recipe."

"Heh, yeah," Gibbs replied, fully believing that by the end of their current saga, Vance would be sure of it.

"Otherwise, how's he doing?"

Gibbs sighed. "We're all coming to terms with being separate teams. Gonna take some time. We were both planning on taking tomorrow off to recoup, or at least a half day, but I don't know what's going to happen now. He's talking with his team, and the rest of us are waiting to see what's happening with Santiago. When he came in, he was bleeding from a deep wound in his side. Didn't look good."

"Tell DiNozzo to keep me in the loop. I've got to be in early for a conference in MTAC. Do what you have to. Don't come in tomorrow if you're not 100% yet. And if possible, bring Santiago back with you; I'd like to have a few words with him." Gibbs rolled his eyes twice.

"We'll see about all of that when the time comes, Leon." He snapped his phone shut, and watched as the nurses he saw earlier started making their way out of a hallway, disappearing together towards a back room, covered in blood. He saw Linda go into the room she'd left Tony in, and he started following her. He stopped halfway there though, and wondered if it was his place to barge in. He needed to ask Tony if he wanted them there still, and he realized that he needed to wait for Tony to work things out with his team before injecting himself further into it.

He heard a loud noise that sounded like Shane yelling something, and he knew that Lenny had died. He backed up against the wall, and let his head fall back to rest against it. _Guess we won't have to worry about whether to press charges now,_ Gibbs thought, the rational coming to mind, and neutralizing the emotions. He breathed deeply, and then headed out into the lobby where McGee, Ziva and Fornell were waiting to find out what had happened.

"Sounds like we won't be getting much from Santiago," Gibbs said, sitting down in one of the chairs, his head starting to throb again.

"Damn it!" Fornell said, pounding his fist on the arm of the chair he was confined to.

"Hey, Boss?" McGee said. "His car is here."

Gibbs ran his hand down his face. "That's Tony's call," he finally said. "Aw, hell," he muttered under his breath. "I'll be right back. Go watch the car from a distance McGee, and make sure no one messes with the damn thing."

"Not going to be too hard to do- it's on the sidewalk by the door." McGee headed back through the sliding doors, and disappeared as Gibbs turned to move back towards the waiting room Tony was in.

Linda was coming out of the room, and Gibbs slid in past her. Tony looked up at him, and nodded for them to take their discussion outside.

"What's the plan?" Gibbs asked, taking in his lover's body language and trying to determine how he felt.

"The FBI is going to do their thing, so we're going to do ours. We'll head home, keep our eyes and ears open, and be ready when they come for Shane."

"And I take it you're going to make it easier to find Shane than before?" Gibbs asked, one eyebrow cocked.

Tony smiled at him. "Depends on what the Feebs are able to do. If need be, yeah, we'll push a little; see if we can get them out here on our own turf. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that." Gibbs nodded. "Lenny's dead. Shane is taking it pretty hard, but Parke is calming him down. I keep catching him trying to not get too close, but this is personal for him."

"Lenny's car is outside. McGee's guarding it. What do you want us to do, Tony? How much do you want us involved?" Gibbs felt a little out of sorts deferring to Tony at work, but he knew he was making the right move.

"For right now, any help is appreciated. When we get back, I don't want you guys messed up in this. It's too sketchy, and I don't want you that close." Tony ran his hand through his hair, a sheepish smile plastering itself on his face. "You've already had one drug cartel after you, not about to have another."

Gibbs' smile matched Tony's. "Well, we made it through that one, and if you need me, we'll make it through another."

"Let's get what we can from the car and the staff about Lenny, and go home. We'll keep tabs on what's going on with the investigation through Fornell, and then when the time comes, we'll be ready."

"Okay. I'll have McGee see what he can do about getting an idea of Santiago's whereabouts from his phone and car, and have Ziva start making some calls to track his movement in the past twenty-four hours." Gibbs reached a hand out and rested it on Tony's shoulder. "Then we're going home."

"Home sounds nice," Tony said, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "I'm going to send Critten to help them, and I'll come talk to Fornell about the investigation. Parke isn't going to leave Shane's side right now, and they are trying to work out a protection agreement."

Gibbs nodded, and Tony nodded back, looking deep into his partner's eyes for some idea of what was going on in his head. He wasn't sure what it was that he saw, but it mirrored the strange combination of feelings he had, so he decided it was okay and somehow comforting.

Tony headed back into the room and directed Critten to go help with the car. He jumped on the chance to be anywhere else but in the room with Parke and Shane, watching brothers battle it out about who has the right to keep who safe. Tony looked at the two of them and sighed, deciding to lay the law down.

"Shane, listen to me." The tone he took had both men looking up at him immediately. "If you don't listen to what Greg tells you to do, I'll have to assign another agent outside of our teams to you, and they will insist you stay in a safe house roach hotel apartment for weeks without seeing the light of day. As of right now, you are under NCIS's protective custody, but if you don't allow Parke to take care of setting up a safety program for you, there's a pretty good chance you'll be handed over to the FBI for protection, which means that you'll be put in _Witness Protection_ , and you _won't_ be going back to the parks, and you _won't_ be able to see your brother for years, if _ever_ again. These are your choices- listen to him, go into Witness Protection, or get gunned down and possibly tortured by a heartless druglord. Now, if _I_ were you, I know which one I'd pick. What's it going to be?"

Tony ignored the look that Parke shot his way, but Shane's wide eyes and rim-rod straight back told him that he'd gotten his point across. When Shane simply pointed to Greg, Tony smiled. "Good. Now that that's settled, you two will stay here until we know that everything is clear, and then we're all going to drive back to D.C." Tony looked at Greg. "You might want to let Tiffany know what you're getting into. If I were you, I'd get an apartment somewhere the two of you can hold up in until things simmer down close to the yard. No sense in dragging her into this mess. I hate to tell you to lie to your wife, but in this case, I'd lie. I wouldn't tell her who you're protecting until he's safe. I'd just tell her you're going to be protecting someone locally, and you'll see her when you can."

Parke nodded, just as intimidated by the cold chill in Tony's voice as Shane was, and he knew that his boss was right. No matter how much he wanted to share his joy at finding Shane with Tiffany, he knew that it wasn't safe.

Tony left to go talk to Fornell. On the way past the desk, he asked Linda for something for his now throbbing head. She squinted at him, and without warning, flashed a penlight in his eyes. He flinched away, holding up a hand to the beam of light. Linda smirked, then got into a desk drawer and handed him a big bottle of Tylenol.

"That's staff stock, otherwise there would be another set of paperwork, and from what I see, you have your work cut out for you as is."

Tony smiled at her and popped open the large white container. He shook four out into his hand, and then closed it back up. "Thanks, Linda. You've been great." He handed her the container, and she opened up the desk drawer, dropping it back in before shutting it with a thunk.

"Were you in there with him when he went?" he asked.

"Yeah. Didn't say much once he was rolled away. He'd lost a lot of blood already, and whatever they did it with was disgusting. The infection probably would have killed him if he lived. The only thing he kept saying was that he was sorry he couldn't get to someone named Jayson." Tony took in her sympathetic eyes, despite her relaxed posture. He knew she had seen a lot, and yet, somehow, she had kept a heart in there somewhere.

He nodded slowly, his hand tapping the counter as he backed away. "Thanks, Linda. We'll be out of your hair soon."

He went over to where Gibbs and Fornell were sitting, and handed Gibbs two of the Tylenol. He accepted them with a groan, and both men knocked them back with the cup of coffee Gibbs had magically procured. The three of them sat together and went over what they knew, exchanged details, and plotted. Critten, McGee and Ziva returned with some details stored to discuss later when Fornell wasn't present, and told them that the FBI had just arrived to take possession of the car and Lenny's body.

Gibbs looked at Tony in a panic at the idea of releasing the body to the FBI, but Tony gave him a look that said he had his reasons, and he bit down his impatience. An hour later, they were all packing into the cars to head back to D.C., and no one was more relieved about it than Gibbs and Tony.

* * *

They all wandered into the bullpen and plopped down at their desks in exhaustion after the long drive. Tony grabbed some of his things and headed over to his new desk. Critten began switching out the computer with Tony's. Half an hour after that, Tony had talked Parke through the process of setting up one of the apartments they had on standby for himself and Shane. Tony was unnerved by how easily Parke was able to lie, or rather, omit certain details of his protection detail when he explained it to Tiffany over the phone. He wondered how often his young agent had done just that, and he realized that during his investigating with Critten, he must have done it pretty often, because Elly was coaching him via notepad. There was a whole undercurrent of understanding between the two as the four of them sat together around Tony's desk while the call was made.

Gibbs had McGee started on gathering the kinds of paperwork that would be needed for their participation in the case. Ziva's phone range, and she was suddenly on her feet, heading for the break room. Gibbs let her go without so much as a look, unable to focus on anything other than setting things up so that the two of them could handle themselves while he and Tony slept in the next day.

Tony and Gibbs shared a look over the divider, and then Gibbs looked towards the elevator with a questioning glance. Tony nodded, and the two of them headed towards their office.

Once the doors closed, Gibbs looked at Tony.

"What are you doing about them tomorrow?" Gibbs asked. "We can't all be off."

"I figured a half day, then they come in and work on their reports. It's not like we're going to be able to stay away all day either. You know we'll probably drag our asses in here much earlier than I'd like."

Gibbs smiled. "Sounds about right."

"Great," Tony said, leaning back against the wall of the metal box. "Well, I'm going to fill Vance in and go home. Are you coming now, or later?"

"Let's get our stuff and go. My head is killing me, and at this point, I want the sleep as much as you do."

"Perfect," Tony said, pressing the button to allow them back out onto their floor.

They rounded up their teams and told them what the plan was. They quickly agreed to it, anxious for a chance to step away from the chaos of the weekend, even if just for the night. Everyone gathered their things except Tony, who called Vance to update him on their situation. When he came back to the bullpen, the only person still there was Gibbs, who was tinkering around with some paperwork halfheartedly.

"You ready?" Tony asked, leaning on the wall between his desk and Gibbs'.

Gibbs looked up at him with a small smile. "Yeah, I'm ready." He stood up, and Tony didn't move. He leaned on top of the wall, just a foot or so away from Gibbs.

"You know, we could probably pass notes over this like we were in school," he said with a smirk.

"I'm not encouraging that. Knowing our luck, the note would go flying across the aisle and land on the new guy's desk, and I'd have to try to explain it."

"New guy?" Tony asked.

"I'll eventually have to find a fourth. You probably will too."

"I'm poaching from your team for my fourth! I'm thinking of taking Ziva," he joked. Gibbs laughed, reaching over the partition to smack him in the back of the head. They were really close standing there like that, and it took them a minute to pull away from each other, eyes locked on each other's faces.

"Let's go home, Tony," Gibbs said softly. Tony nodded with a smile. They picked up their bags, and headed for the elevator. As soon as the doors shut them in, Gibbs reached out and squeezed Tony's hand.

"Love you, Jethro," Tony said, giving him an exhausted smile.

"Love you, too, Tony," Gibbs said, then took his hand back to cover a wide yawn.

Tony watched with amusement. The older man was so much more comfortable around him than he was just a few weeks prior. He let his defenses down with him, and relaxed, which made Tony feel privileged.

Tony followed him to the car, and they got in, neither really in much of a rush. Tony felt Gibbs' hand land palm up on his leg, asking for his as they pulled out of the Yard. He smiled broadly at his lover as he rested his hand on top of his, palm to palm, folding their fingers together. Gibbs shot him a bright smile, and they rode the rest of the way home in content silence.

When they walked into the house, both men headed slowly up the stairs. They dropped their stuff in the bedroom, and started peeling their clothes off. Tony smiled at Jethro, as he yawned yet again, and then pulled him by the hand towards the shower. There wasn't an ounce of resistance as Tony turned the water to hot, and broke out a roll of medical tape to cover Jethro's sutures. Jethro leaned against the sink, and let Tony tape plastic over his leg to protect the wound, inspecting it as he did. When he stood again, tossing the tape aside, Jethro got them both under the spray. The water felt wonderful on their tired bodies.

Jethro's hands went to Tony's waist, pulling him close, and Tony's arms went around Jethro's shoulders, their lips meeting tenderly. They kissed lazily, lips suckling one another, and eventually tongues sliding back and forth over each other, a languid reconnection that both happily succumbed to. Tony grabbed the body wash and squirted some into his palms, rubbing them together slightly to get his hands soapy before working the suds into Jethro's shoulders and neck. Jethro groaned as the skilled hands went to work on him, and Tony turned him around to face the wall so that he could work on his lower back and finally, his ass. Jethro growled, and turned to face Tony, eyes burning into him as he took soap into his own hands. Tony felt his cock stirring, and the heat in Jethro's stare permeated his entire body.

Jethro turned Tony around, and switched him positions so that Tony was now facing the tiled wall. Jethro began soaping up Tony's back and shoulders, massaging them lightly at first, and then with a firmer touch. Tony felt himself growing achingly hard, and when Jethro's own hard member grazed his thigh, he whimpered.

"I want you, Jethro. Please?" he whispered, wanton under the touch of the man behind him.

Jethro rested his chin on Tony's shoulder, and whispered in his ear. "How, Tony? Just tell me what you want."

"I need you in me. Please? I need you as close as possible." Tony's voice was coming out like a strangled sob, and Jethro found the tube of lube still sitting on the ledge from where Tony had put it the week before. He spread some on his fingers, and slowly rimmed Tony's opening with them. Tony made a whimpering noise, and Jethro pressed his lips to the side of Tony's neck, right under his ear, suckling gently for a moment.

"I love you, Tony," he whispered. "I love you more than I thought I could love someone ever again." He let his fingers slip into his lover, and began slowly stretching him as Tony shuddered in his embrace. He felt himself shaking, unsure of why he suddenly felt so damned emotional, but he clung to Tony tightly with his one arm, kissing his neck and shoulder slowly and gently. When he decided that Tony was stretched enough, he removed his fingers and lubed his cock. He lined himself up, and began slowly pushing into Tony. Once he'd breached him, he felt the heaving of Tony's body, and wrapped his arms tightly around him, feeling himself shuddering violently at he felt the surge of emotions rushing through him.

Images flashed through his head of Tony running next to him through the forest, trying to escape the blast behind them. He held on tighter to the man in his arms, sliding into him completely and staying there for a long moment, finally feeling close enough to him. He thought of Tony lying in the hospital bed next to him, telling his team about them, the obvious fear and pain on his face. "I'm never letting you go, Tony," he choked out.

Sobs broke free from Tony's chest, and he cried silently. He felt disconnected from reality, lost in both the sensation of having Gibbs around him and in him, and the memories of seeing him lying on the ground with McGee hovering over him, unsure of what condition his lover was in. He felt both the body around him in the loving embrace he was in now, and the body leaning against him in the snow as they tried to piece together what had just happened to them. He felt the cathartic release of the fear and the relief as he sobbed, Jethro's soothing whispers in his ear saying that he would always be there as he moved slowly in and out of him.

Tony's hands found Jethro's around his stomach, and took them in his own tightly. He started moving his hips slowly against Jethro's thrusts, the movements sweet and slow, building to a beautiful release that they fell into at the same time, both gasping and shaking violently under the warm water.

Tony turned in Jethro's arms, feeling the now soft cock slipping from him, a sea of fluids following. His arms went around Jethro's body, pulling him close. Jethro hugged him back with a death grip, needing the assurance that they were really safe and sound in their home together.

"You think we'll make it through this?" Gibbs suddenly whispered in Tony's ear, trying to cope with the fact that he wasn't going to be able to be there to protect the man that had finally brought him back to life.

"Yes," Tony said, his voice suddenly sure. He pulled back slightly, still holding Jethro tightly as he looked into his unusually soft blue eyes. "Yes, we will. I have Greg and Elly on my six, and you have Tim and Ziva. We both have people that will be able to hold their own against whatever is thrown at us, and when we need one another, we'll be able to come to each other and ask for help. We're going to be fine, Jethro. And when we are ready to escape at night, we have each other to come home to. We're going to get used to this, and in a few months, things will seem like it's just what was supposed to happen- we just have to hold on until then." Tony's forehead fell against Jethro's, and he felt more than saw Jethro nod, then heard him gulp and sigh. "Don't worry- we got this."

Jethro's arms came around him tightly again, and Tony held him close even though the water was getting cold on his back.

After a long couple of minutes, Jethro finally realized how chilly they were getting, and reached to turn off the water. "Let's get under the covers and warm up," he whispered, sounding a little more like himself. Tony nodded, smiling at him.

They got out, and dried off with the towels Tony had brought from his place and stuck in the closet. Tony bent down and ripped the tape off of Jethro's leg, causing the older man to hiss. Tony gave him a look of apology, and threw the plastic into the trash can, leg hair sticking off of the medical tape.

Jethro took Tony's hand, and led him into the bedroom, bringing them to the side of the bed. The light was fading in the room, barely hanging on to dusk. Tony reached to pull back the blankets, and Jethro pulled him towards him, against his body. Tony saw the searching blue eyes looking him over for some kind of answer, and he realized that Jethro was making sure he was okay. A moment later, soft lips were pressed against his, and he felt himself dissolve into the affectionate kiss.

Jethro lowered Tony slowly back on the bed, needing the reassurance the warm body underneath him offered. He pulled the blanket around them as he continued kissing him.

Tony was a ball of mixed emotions. He felt the desperate need in Jethro's kiss, and it matched his own need for comfort. He was sure they would be okay, but the day before had been a much closer call than he had expected this case to bring them to, and that surprise had him shaken to the core. It reminded him of how everything could be taken from him so simply, and he felt an urgency to make every second he had with Jethro count. Life was short, and they both knew just how short.

He suddenly flipped Jethro over onto his back, his kisses growing more and more heated. He wanted to stop time, to let them bask in this place together forever. Jethro's hands began scraping up his chest, squeezing his nipples. He groaned into the kiss and ran a hand up into Jethro's hair, pulling until he gasped sharply. The sound made his cock twitch, and he slid down Jethro's body, licking and kissing where he could, making the older man gasp, moan, and growl. He left bite marks on Jethro's stomach that elicited a particularly sexy groan, and he watched his lover's facial expressions from under hooded eyes.

He waited until he saw Jethro's eyes close as his head fell back in ecstasy, and then took his cock in his mouth, running his tongue around it in swirls, coming back up and licking the tip with a flat tongue. Jethro's hips spasmed at the surprise, and Tony held them down as he descended again, taking a little more of him in until the head touched the back of his mouth, and then came back up, licking again.

Tony felt the hand in his hair, and the way fingers gently pulled the damp strands, and he growled around the dick in his mouth. A few more passes and gasps later, he sat up, bringing his mouth back to Jethro's for a starving kiss. Jethro sat up into it, one hand on the side of Tony's face, the other searching for the younger man's hand, desperate to hold onto it to keep from slipping away. He found it, and they entwined their fingers tightly, frantically kissing.

Tony's mouth moved to Jethro's neck, sucking, kissing, nipping. He whispered against the skin, letting his needs pour out of him. "I'm never letting you go, Jethro. You're mine- forever. Nothing will ever take you from me. I need you."

Jethro's hand left Tony's face, and started running up his back and into his hair, pulling him closer to him. His cheek nuzzled the head and ear of the man against him, and he whispered back, "Never leaving, Tony. Need you, too. Never… never going away… need you."

Tony fumbled on the nightstand for the lube that was still there from the other day, as he continued his kisses and whispers. He realized that Jethro had been oblivious to the action by the way he jerked as the cold, liquid covered finger slid between his ass cheeks. Tony didn't stop his advance though, and plunged right in, making Jethro moan in pleasure.

"Open me quick, Tony. I need you."

"Need you to relax," Tony gasped out as he began nibbling on Jethro's earlobe.

He felt Jethro nod, and then heard the deep shaky breath escape his mouth. A few moments later, he felt Jethro's sphincter relax around his finger, and he slid a second in, scissoring them to prep him. He reached deep into his lover, finding his prostate, and ran his finger across it, causing Jethro to yell in pleasure.

"Fuck! Tony, come on!" Tony smiled against him as he brushed the bump again. Jethro yelled out again, and Tony withdrew his fingers, leaving Jethro gasping. A few slick strokes with a palm of lube, and Tony was pressing against Jethro's hole with the tip of his cock. He leaned forward to kiss Jethro, and then pulled back to stare him in the eyes as he pushed forward with his hips, slowly entering him. He felt the way Jethro's chest rose and fell underneath his, rising to meet him with every inhale, and falling away from him slightly with every sharp exhale. Neither man was willing to close their eyes, staring back at one another, taking in every slight change in one another's expressions as Tony started moving in and out of him at much more frantic pace than Jethro had taken him.

Neither could speak anymore as their breathing grew into rapid gasps, but their eyes told each other everything they needed the other to know, and they struggled to keep them open as the pleasure made their heads spin.

Tony felt the tight ring of muscle squeezing his entire length as he plunged over and over again into Jethro's snug warmth, and he made sure that he was angled just right to hit Jethro's prostate as often as possible. It felt like home, and perfection, and everything right in the world. It made him feel like he had found the answer to a question he didn't know he'd been asking his entire life. The rush down his spine felt like pure light, both hot and cold at the same time, and he fought back the orgasm that was approaching, preferring to perch on the edge of reason and reality.

Jethro felt like the world was on fire around him, and reaching that critical climax was the only way to extinguish the flames, and keep them safe. Nothing else mattered to him other than the way that Tony looked at him, and grasped his fingers, and slid in and out of him, causing sparks with every thrust, sending a million tiny tingles running through every nerve in his body until he thought he could feel nothing else, and then the next thrust would send another wave, and he thought he was going to dissolve into a billion pieces, and do so happily, because he knew that Tony was feeling the same exact thing.

When Tony thought he couldn't take another minute, he saw Jethro nod just a little, and he threw his head back, yelling loudly as he finally let go, the world turning a blinding white.

Jethro saw the ability to hold on slipping in Tony's glazed over eyes, understanding completely as his own resistance left him. He nodded at him, and the orgasm crashed down on him, rushing to his groin and exploding outward through the rest of him in such a blast that he felt all of the air leave his lungs as the kaleidoscope of colors behind his eyes left him dazed. The last thing he remembered was the heft of Tony's body as it collapsed on him.

* * *

Tony woke up a little after midnight, lying halfway on Jethro and halfway off. Somehow, they had gotten covered back over with the blankets, but they were an itchy mess from their earlier lovemaking. Tony shifted slightly so that he could look up at the sleeping man whose arms were wrapped tightly around him.

He felt like they had been together forever, while still feeling like forever wasn't enough. He was overwhelmed by it. He thought about the possibility of one day losing him in the line of duty, and shivered. He wanted to do whatever he could to keep them safe, but the only thing that he could think of was if they both quit doing the job that they loved so much, and he could never ask Jethro to do that. He couldn't imagine himself leaving and being happy, even with Jethro at his side.

At this point, with how many enemies they both had, having the power of the law on their side was probably the safest thing for them. Tony smirked at the thought, and watched the way Jethro's eyes fluttered in their sleep as he dreamed.

The words they had spoken to each other that night came back to him; sentiments so raw and honest. They were determined to stay together through whatever came their way. The needs that they had conveyed to one another were mutual, and Tony could feel the promise behind them.

Images of years together filtered through his imagination, rolling into a movie reel of a long life full of laughter and joy. He imagined being together on a handmade boat on the waters of the Gulf for their retirement, spending summer nights reading together on the back porch while steaks grilled, sipping a few beers. He thought of team Thanksgivings and white Christmases at Jackson's, maybe finally getting to ask all of the questions that he had always wanted to about his lover's childhood. Then there were more abstract ideas, like being there when Abby and Tim had their first baby, and Ziva and Dion's wedding. He idly wondered if Jethro would ever want to get married again, and the question lodged itself in his mind, suddenly stopping all other thoughts.

A scene played out in his head of their teams, Abby, Ducky, Palmer, Jackson, his own dad, a couple of his frat brothers, Fornell, and even Vance and Jackie all gathered together as he stared into Jethro's blue eyes, feeling a warm metal band being placed on his finger, and he heard the words bouncing around his head like an echo, "I, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, take you, Anthony DiNozzo…" He blinked the vision away, but the warmth that he felt in the vision settled in his chest, and he felt oddly calm about it. He considered it, letting the idea sink in. He reached for Jethro's hand, and gently folded his into it. He'd given up on the idea of marriage after Wendy, and he thought it was strange that he wanted it now. He felt like he should panic at the thought, but the more he considered it, the more he wanted it.

 _Just something simple,_ he thought. _Our family, our friends, and each other. That's all we need- that's all we'll ever need._ He ran his thumb over Jethro's, staring at their joined hands, contemplating the idea of getting married. He wondered if that was something Jethro would even want. He knew that there wasn't a doubt in his mind that he wanted things to be permanent with Jethro, and that Jethro wanted it with him, but the idea of a wedding and marriage felt _right_. He didn't know why it was so important suddenly. He'd always just considered marriage a legal binding, a joining of finances and responsibilities. That had been how he'd experienced marriage with his dad growing up. This was nothing like that though.

The idea of a vow, a swear, a promise so strong that it brought two people's futures together, and bound them at a much more personal level, was something he suddenly believed in, and he finally understood what it was all about. There was a beautiful power in that promise to reassure one another, and the people they wanted in their lives, that they were the real deal- there was nothing, and no one, that would ever come between them, and he wanted those people he cared about to be witness to that fusion.

"Thinking pretty hard there," a voice rough with sleep suddenly said, startling him slightly as he thought. He looked up to see the shining blue eyes looking at him in the lamp on the nightstand, and all he could think about was the blue eyes from his vision staring back into his as Jethro made the vow to have and to hold. Tony smiled gently at him, and he sighed happily.

"Just thinking about how lucky I am," he said softly.

Jethro gave him a broad, sleep-dazed smile. "Thought I was the lucky one?" he said, sleep trying to take him again.

"Nope. It's definitely me," Tony whispered back, knowing that Jethro was already back to sleep.

* * *

Tony fell back to sleep about an hour later, snuggling against the heartbeat under his ear. The two men slept until the sun filtered through the thin white curtains in the room, and Tony woke up to the feeling of Jethro's hand carding through his hair. It was tender, and he felt Jethro drop a kiss on the top of his head.

Jethro stared down at the man waking up against his chest. He was enjoying the way the content feeling was becoming familiar again, seeping into him on many levels. They laid in silence together for a long time, just enjoying waking up with one another. Tony finally couldn't stave off his bladder anymore, and started sitting up. He gave Jethro a good morning kiss that was returned and deepened, though only with the intention to convey emotion, not take things further. They both pulled away smiling.

"Wanna go to breakfast?" Jethro asked.

"Mmm! Sounds good. I could definitely go for an omelet." He rolled out of bed stretching, not really thinking about his nakedness until he saw Jethro staring at him in their reflection in the mirror over the dresser. He smiled as he headed into the bathroom, feeling himself blush the slightest bit. He was unsure of why he felt so shy when Jethro stared him down, because he never had that problem when a woman watched him strut in the nude. He thought about that as he stood there taking care of business, and figured it probably had something to do with Jethro being a man, and such a well-built man. _The difference in comparing apples to apples,_ he thought with a breathy chuckle as he washed his hands and brushed his teeth. Jethro came in behind him, turning the water of the shower on as Tony started shaving. He taped another plastic bag over his leg as Tony examined the stitches with a shaving cream beard. Once he nodded his approval, Gibbs got under the water with a smile and shake of his head at Tony's concern.

"Would you want to take the truck in today, and then after work we could stop by my place and get some more of my stuff?" Tony asked between razor strokes.

"Sure. We could get some boxes along the way and start packing things up; maybe bring some of the lighter stuff back with us. Not sure if carrying a bunch of heavy boxes is a good idea with what we've been through the past couple of days."

Tony smelled Jethro's soap and breathed deeply as the scent was carried on the heavy steam that filled room. He finished shaving, realizing that this was what happiness felt like. He slapped a little aftershave on his face, and rinsed his razor out in the sink.

"You want me to leave this on for you, or are you going to need a minute?" Jethro asked, sticking his head out of the shower.

"You can leave it on," Tony said, climbing in without waiting for Jethro to get out. "You know, we practically live in here," he joked as he slid against Jethro's naked body, switching him positions under the spray.

"Mmm? Yeah? Well, there's a good reason for that," Jethro said, hands on Tony's hips, refusing to let go as he took in Tony's body, glistening as the water started to run down it.

"Oh, yeah?" Tony said, leaning in close, his lips inches away from Jethro's.

"Yeah. It's hard not to get in when you look so damn incredible, wet and shining… It makes me want to take my fingers…" he said, and began tracing over the muscles over Tony's chest and stomach.

Tony's eyes fell shut for a minute, and then snapped back open. Jethro's touch was just firm enough not to tickle, and he felt like he was being investigated with rapt curiosity.

"…and do this," Jethro whispered, leaning in to capture Tony's lips with his, the kiss sweet and seductive. His fingers trailed down, brushing the hair above Tony's cock, eliciting a gasp from the younger man that sent a jolt to his own. One of the things that Jethro had noticed over the past few weeks, was that Tony, of all people, had these endearing moments where he was actually shy about his body, and he was determined to reassure him that he was sexy as hell.

Gibbs took handfuls of Tony's body wash, and began using it to slick up his entire body. Tony tried to reciprocate the touches, and but Jethro wouldn't let him, taking his hand when he tried, and kissing the palm before placing it behind Tony's head.

"Keep it there. I want to play," he said with a low voice in Tony's ear.

Tony moaned as he stood under the water, hands behind his head, while Jethro ran handfuls of soap all over Tony's body. He started with his chest and stomach, making sure to give his nipples a little tweak as he went along. He soaped up Tony's neck and collarbone, running his fingers over the outline of the muscles there as well. He added more soap, running his hands along Tony's biceps, lavishing as much attention to him as possible, taking his time. His hands ran down Tony's back, which required pressing up against him, both of their cocks hard and brushing against each other, making Jethro moan and Tony's breath hitch. Jethro's hands wandered to Tony's ass, grasping it and making sure it got a good cleaning.

Keeping his hands on Tony's backside, he slid down Tony's body until he was on his knees. Tony's eyes rolled into the back of his head as Jethro's hands continued working the soap into his thighs and legs.

"You're so damn beautiful," Gibbs said quietly, kissing Tony's stomach. "You've got a hell of a body," he continued, retracing Tony's abs with his fingers. "The best part?" he said, looking up into Tony's face to find dark green eyes looking down at him, face flushed. "The best part is that it's all mine, now. No one else will ever get to touch it again." Without warning, eyes still glued on Tony's, he took Tony's jutting erection into his mouth.

Tony threw his head back, growling loudly. He stood there, hands planted firmly behind his head where he was told to leave them, while Jethro crouched in front of him, sucking him off.

Jethro gave it his all, loving the feeling of the heavy dick in his mouth as he ran his tongue along the bottom vein with a firm pressure up, then lapped at the head before bobbing forward and back, taking his lover as far into his throat as he could manage. He brought his head back, sucking hard as he did, and Tony popped out of his mouth with a slurping sound. Jethro took him by the base and ran his tongue up and down the sides, sidetracking a moment to suck a little on his balls. Tony gasped, struggling to keep his feet planted firmly on the tub floor as the water ran down his back.

Jethro returned to the quick bobbing motion, suddenly eager to taste the fruits of his labor. He smiled around Tony's cock as he sucked and slid up and down it, and soon Tony couldn't restrain the hip thrusts he added to the frenzy.

"Oh, God- Jethro, I'm gonna… I'm gonna come… damn that feels good!"

Jethro pulled back and sucked hard, running his tongue around the edge of the head of Tony's cock, waiting for him to fill his mouth as he pumped him from the base with his fist. Tony came with a howl, thrusting in tiny motions as Jethro swallowed as much as he could.

Once Jethro had his fill, Tony slumped against the wall, as Jethro kissed his way back up his stomach. His arms went around the panting man, holding him close and keeping him from sliding down the wall in an orgasmic puddle. After a few minutes, Tony's breathing settled and he regained his balance. His eyes opened in a flash, and Jethro smiled at him.

In the next moment, Jethro's back was against the cold tiles at the end of the tub, Tony's tongue ravaging his mouth, and a sure hand stroking his cock quickly. Jethro ran his hands down Tony's back, accepting the kiss and the hunger in it with passion. It only took a couple of minutes for him to come, yelling into Tony's mouth as the younger man refused to let go of his lower lip that was being suckled and nibbled on.

"That's it, come for me," Tony said as he stroked the trembling man in front of him, cum squirting out of him and spraying their stomachs. The kiss resumed, Tony tracing Jethro's lips tenderly now with his tongue as Jethro came down from his high.

Tony finally pulled back, his hands on Jethro's hips, and Jethro's arms over Tony's shoulders. Their eyes met, and Tony saw forever in them. He made a decision, and he smiled, feeling a joyful secret bubbling up in him. "I love you, Jethro."

"I love you so damn much, Tony. So much."

"I know," he said without an ounce of cockiness. "I know, and it's still mind-blowing to me, but it's everything I could have asked for and more."

" _You're_ everything I could have asked for and more, Tony."

"Well, that and coffee," Tony said with a chuckle.

"Well, yeah. That goes without saying," Jethro said with a toss of his head.

"Let's clean up and go eat."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

After breakfast, the guys headed into the office. They dropped their stuff in the somewhat bullpen, neither of their teams there yet, and headed down to see Ducky. Once the doctor had looked Tony over, and granted him permission to work, he jumped off the table, kissed Jethro on the cheek, and headed to find Abby.

"Hey, Abs," Tony said, practically bouncing into her lab and up to her to wrap her in a hug.

"Tony!" She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "How's the cabeza?"

"Head's fine, Abs. You know if it wasn't, I'd be home in bed."

"Please! Even "Old Tony" wouldn't have, so there's no way "New Tony" would be." She gave him a critical look. "Have you seen Ducky yet?"

"What do you mean "Old Tony"? I'm still me!" he asked, affronted.

"Yes, but you're more now. It's a good thing! Trust me! And stop deflecting. Have you seen Ducky?"

"Yes, Mom!" he said, secretly loving her doting. "Gibbs is with him now."

"How is he? What happened? Tim told me some last night, but, uh, there wasn't much talking, if you know what I mean!" She winked at him, and he groaned.

"I so don't need to know about McGeek's sex life," he said.

"Too bad, because there was this thing he did with his-"

"Abby!" Tony interjected. She burst into laughter. "I have something I want to talk to you about, and I think you'd be the best person to give me an honest answer." He nodded to her office.

"Ooo! This sounds juicy!" She locked down her PC, and headed towards the office with him.

"You should _probably_ close the door," he said as she came in. She tapped the button on the wall, raising an eyebrow at him, and they sat down.

"Okay- shoot," she said, sitting down. "Dear Abby is available for you questions." She reached to grab a bottle of water on her desk and opened it, taking a drink.

"I want to ask Jethro to marry me."

Abby choked, spitting water out everywhere.

"I guess that means you think it's a stupid idea." Tony sighed, all of the color draining from his face as he ran a hand through his hair.

"NO! I think it's an incredible idea!" she said with enough excitement that Tony believed her and looked up.

"Really? I have no idea if he even wants to take that route again. I mean, he's been divorced three times, and married four, Abs. Another walk down the aisle? But…" his voice drifted off as he thought about his day dream the night before as he lay on a sleeping Jethro.

"Trust me, Tony- ask him."

Tony looked at her. "I want this, Abby. I didn't even feel this way about Wendy, and I was ready to take the plunge with her. I didn't feel this way about Jeanne, or EJ…" Tony got a far off look on his face, and Abby watched him as he was obviously thinking about something specific.

"What made you decide on this?" she asked.

A bright smile broke out on Tony's face. "We had a rough weekend, Abs. It was close, and I realized last night that there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that we were meant to be together, and stay together. This is for forever, you know? I'm not going to wake up one day, bored, and leave. I'm not going to walk out just because we have some big fight. We've been through a lot together, and I can't imagine being without him."

Abby opened her mouth to say something, but he continued.

"And I know that being married won't change whether or not it's permanent. We're both one hundred percent in this for the long haul, but last night, I woke up, and we were kind of, you know, curled up together, and I started thinking about stuff, and I thought of what it would be like to do it- to stand up in front of you guys, our family and friends, and announce to each other and the world that we're going to make it. That we are going to last forever. To… promise that to one another with enough conviction that we're willing to have the most important people in our lives bear witness to it, to ask them to hold us to that promise when we feel we're slipping, and to support us. It suddenly meant something to me, Abs, and as much as I mean it, and want to make that promise myself, I think I need to hear it. I want it. It's never meant anything to me before, but with him- with him it means everything."

Abby's hand was tracing her neck with her finger absently, staring at Tony with misty eyes. She wanted to tell him that she already knew that Gibbs would say 'yes' in a heartbeat, but she couldn't betray Gibbs' confidence like that. To hear _Tony_ though, of all people, saying this was _huge_ , and she felt the immensity of it. She cleared her throat, and blinked back the tears.

"That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth," she stated. "And if you don't tell him that, I will personally make your life miserable, because, Tony, he deserves to hear that. You know what he's been through, and he deserves to hear that, to know that you mean it when you say that you love him enough to tell everybody like that." She shook her head a little as she sat in awe of the idea.

Tony jumped up smiling. "Okay! I'm gonna do it! Now, to figure out when and how."

Abby jumped up, suddenly coming to life. "Oh my God, you're seriously going to do this! Wow! Yaaaayyyyy!" She threw her arms around Tony in a hopping hug, squealing.

"The timing has to be perfect though, so I have to put some serious thought into this."

"I'm here with you, all the way. Just tell me what you need me to do," Abby said, stepping back and rubbing her hands together, giving Tony a critical eye as he raised an eyebrow her direction, and the two of them began plotting.

* * *

Gibbs sat on a cold table in autopsy, his pant leg rolled up, stitches exposed. Ducky was sitting on a stool as he examined them, rattling on about the importance of keeping the leg clean and dry. He applied an ointment to keep infection away and help speed the healing process, and then looked up at his friend.

Gibbs had a faraway look in his eyes, and a crooked smile on his face.

"You didn't hear a word that I just said, did you, Jethro?"

When there was no response, Ducky snapped his fingers in front of Gibbs' face, making him shake his head and look at Ducky's amused expression. "Sorry, what? Oh, yeah, I'll keep it clean, Duck."

Ducky shook his head. "You look extremely pleased for a man who was almost blown up a mere forty-eight hours ago. Do I want to know what the distraction entails?" he asked curiously.

"Probably not, Duck. Probably not." Gibbs rolled his pants leg down over the wound gently, and got down off the table.

Ducky smiled as he marked a few things on a clipboard to put into Gibbs' chart. "Well, being as that may, I am very glad to see you so happy. That must mean that despite all of these changes, you and Anthony are still doing alright. You must have talked things through with him after our chat last week, then."

Gibbs shrugged. "Not specifically, but he definitely knows that I will never abandon him like so many have."

Ducky saw the change come over his friend's face at the idea of the people that had failed Tony over the years, and he was surprised to see the intensity of his anger written so clearly there.

"I'm not one of his frat _boys_ , and I sure as hell would never betray him like his father. This is the real thing, and he knows that. We've made it very clear over the past couple of days that we're not going to let anything come between us, and that's good enough for me for right now." Gibbs' demeanor settled again, and Ducky was glad to see the lethal edge subside.

"Speaking of fathers, isn't Jackson going to be joining us for the holiday?" Ducky asked.

Gibbs' head went back with a groan, and then it fell forward into his hand. "Yeah, he's coming for Easter."

"By your tone, I take it you have not told him about your relationship with Anthony."

"No, I haven't," Gibbs said, shaking his head and trying to look Ducky in the eye.

"I'm surprised you didn't see him while you were in Pennsylvania," Ducky mused. "Do you think that he will take it well?"

"There was no reason to stop and see him, especially not with another cartel possibly on our asses. I've already endangered him once that way, I wasn't about to do it again."

"And Anthony?"

Gibbs sighed. "I don't know, Duck. I just don't know. I never let him in on my sexuality. It's never really been something I thought would ever lead to… well _this._ "

"You must have some idea of what he's going to say though," Ducky prodded.

"He's no bigot, Duck, but I might need you on standby in case he has a heart attack. This is probably going to shock the hell out of him, and I have no idea how to tell him. ' _Hey Dad, you remember Tony? Well, we're in a relationship now, and though we've only been together for a couple of weeks, I'm thinking about asking him to marry me. Whatcha think?'_ " Gibbs ran his hands through his hair, his anxiety strangely on the surface suddenly.

"Jethro- are you alright with him knowing?" Ducky asked gently, reaching out to place a grounding hand on his shoulder.

Gibbs looked up at him.

"Yes," he said definitively. "I have no doubts about telling him, but I can't say I'm too excited to find out what his response will be. He's just… he's gonna have questions, Duck, questions that he has every right to ask, and I'm not sure how I'm going to answer them. He's my dad, Duck. How do I tell him that I'm 52 years old, and I'm in love with a man? It's taken me ten years to wrap _my_ head around it! I'm not even sure my dad has ten years left in him. What if…" he trailed off, his voice growing sullen.

Ducky squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"What if he can't be happy for me?"

"We'll handle that if the situation calls for it, my friend. For now, think of it more as sharing your joy with him, and letting him in on something so important to you. You've only recently mended your relationship. I'm sure it would feel as a betrayal to him if you kept something so important from him. He'd want to know you're so happy."

"I hope you're right, Duck. I really hope you're right."


	32. Chapter 32

Tony had sat with Abby in the lab for half an hour, talking about their ideas of what his best options for a proposal would be. They tinkered around with the thought of a public proposal, but then weighed the benefits of an intimate, private proposal. They hadn't decided anything by time Tony realized he should probably get back to doing actual work. His head was swimming with ideas, and he wanted to do them all. He told Abby they'd have lunch soon to discuss it further, and headed up the elevator to the bullpen.

The doors opened with a ding, and he began walking towards his desk. He watched Gibbs for a moment as he moved through his team's side of the bullpen. The older man was looking over Tim's shoulder at something on his computer as they went over his report. He looked down at his desk and smiled, reaching for the switch on his computer. He let it boot up while he went back over to his old desk and began gathering his things.

Gibbs looked up, and realizing what he was doing, smiled a little sadly at him. Tony returned it with the same and a shrug. Acceptance was coming easier, and they moved on with what they were doing only seconds later.

Tony took a stack of files and his cup of pens with him back to his desk. He emailed maintenance to ask if they could grab a dolly and move his filing cabinets to his side of the bullpen, and then started cleaning out what was left in Kathy's old desk. There wasn't much; she had emptied it of almost everything. He found the lid to a box of printing paper on top of her old filing cabinet, and took it over to his desk to start loading his trinkets and office supplies into.

He was setting everything up the way he liked it on his new desk when he heard the elevator door ding, and Parke, Critten and Shane emerged from it. They came over to their desks, and sat down, already deep in conversation about something. Tony listened in as he got into his bag, rummaging for the cereal bars he had in there somewhere to stash in his drawer. When the conversation had a gap in it, he interjected.

"Everything go okay getting settled in last night?" he asked Parke.

"Yeah. Thankfully that building has laundry in it, because I still haven't been home to get a fresh change, and I'm going to have to take Shane to get some basics since everything he owned was in the trailer."

"In all fairness," Shane said, "there wasn't much there. Living in the park doesn't allow you much space to store personal belongings. I had a hamper full of clothes, and a couple of crates of stuff. That's about it, unless you count the books Doctor S. gave me."

Tony nodded his understanding. "Parke, why don't you get your brother started on writing up his statement, and then start your report. Hopefully we can all get rough drafts done by time to head out tonight."

Parke nodded and broke out the necessary paperwork from his filing cabinet, and then set Shane up at the empty fourth desk on their side of the bullpen. The bullpen was unusually quiet for being so full. Tony could hear McGee plucking away at his keyboard it was so quiet. He was writing an outline for his own report half an hour later, when something tapped his shoulder and then fell on his desk. He was about to sit up and go off on McGee until he realized it was a piece of paper, unfolding from the square it had been tucked into.

Tony looked around to see if anyone else had seen it, but he was pretty sure everyone was still deeply engaged in their reports. He unfolded the piece of paper as quietly and inconspicuously as he could, realizing that Gibbs has just "passed him a note in class". He sat the note into his folder as if though it were his report, and he began reading it.

_It's probably a good thing you're sitting on the other side of this wall now, because it keeps me from staring at you. I don't think I would be able to focus today otherwise._

_Coffee run with me at 1500?_

Tony smiled broadly, and opened his phone, deciding a text message was probably safer for the return fire. Their teams not noticing one note coming over the wall was one thing, but they weren't lucky enough for a second to go unnoticed.

_You know, I could probably put a mirror on my desk so that I could look over my shoulder and stare at you with it all day, and no one would think anything of it. And 3 o' clock sharp!_

Gibbs' phone vibrated a couple of minutes later, and he pulled it from his pocket in exasperation. He flipped it open and had to fight back the smile on his face. He was glad that he already had his glasses on as he worked so that he didn't need to draw any other attention to himself. He snapped his phone shut, tossed it down on his desk, and went back to work on his report. He tried to focus and had no luck. He kept his pencil poised over his memo pad for a few minutes while he thought about the night before. He suddenly remembered waking up in the middle of the night with Tony asleep on him, wide awake and deep in thought.

_Just thinking about how lucky I am…_

The words broke his restraint and he smiled brightly, shaking his head. McGee had noticed, and shot a look at Ziva who followed his gaze to Gibbs and they immediately went back to their work with a smile on their faces as well. McGee waited a moment before bringing up two IM windows and messaged both Ziva and Tony.

_TMcGee02: Are you seeing what I'm seeing?_

He typed to her, then moved over to Tony's window.

_TMcGee02: What did you do to Gibbs? He's over smiling like you do when I fall for one of your stupid pranks._

He waited a moment, and then Ziva's window flashed.

_ZDavid01: I believe so. Are you seeing Gibbs actually smiling and acting happy?_

_TMcGee02: Yep. That's what I'm seeing. I don't remember him ever being this happy with Mann or that mystery woman he was seeing years ago._

_ZDavid01: I know. His relationship with Tony is completely different. That is a good thing. I would hate to see it fall apart. They both have been different people the past couple of weeks, and I am enjoying the change._

_TMcGee02: I don't want to jinx them, but I have a feeling that this one is going to be *IT* for them._

_TMcGee02: And yes, I'm happy for them, too._

McGee switched over to Tony's flashing window.

 _TDiNozzo01: Wouldn't you like to know, Probie! Or maybe you wouldn't… actually, I really hope you_ don't _want to know. I think I would be thoroughly disturbed if you started pulling an Abby and asked for details…_

 _TMcGee02: As long as she's not discussing_ our _sex life, or relaying information to me about you and Gibbs' sex life, I'm going to stay out of that! You know there's no hope when it comes to her._

_TDiNozzo01: Actually, she tried to tell me about something you did this morning, but per bro-code, and my settling breakfast, I made her stop._

_TMcGee02: Tell me she didn't._

_TDiNozzo01: OH yes she did! I'd prefer not to receive details of your sex life! As for Gibbs and I, the good mood could be because of a lot of things. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?_

_TMcGee02: Fine, but you do know I'm going home with Abby tonight, right?_

_TDiNozzo01: Uh?_

_TMcGee02: And you were talking to her this morning, so I would bet good money you told her what you talked about. I can easily get it out of her._

_TDiNozzo01: Not unless you want details of my sex life, and in turn, Gibbs' sex life. Do you really want to have to face him every day, all day long, knowing what we've been doing?_

_TMcGee02: I retract my earlier statement._

_TDiNozzo01: Thought so._

The conversation window with Ziva blinked again.

_ZDavid01: What is wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost._

_TMcGee02: Tony just threatened me with details of his sex life. His_ current _sex life._

_ZDavid01: Oh._

_TMcGee02: I'm going to get back to work before the boss finds out what I'm doing and plants the mother of all head slaps on me._

_ZDavid01: That is probably a wise idea._

Tony looked up from his messages to see what his team was doing.

"How's the reports going?" he asked the room.

"I don't know where to begin," Parke said. "Do I start in L.A.? Do I start here?"

"Very brief backstory, then move forward to the point where you and Critten began researching to find Shane."

Shane glanced up from his statement, and looked at Parke and then Critten.

"How long were you looking for me, Greg?" he asked.

Parke looked at him as if though he had just asked the stupid question ever. "Since the day you left, little brother." He shook his head. "You thought I'd just let you disappear on me _again_? No way! Uhn-uh! Wasn't about to happen. I had to stop a while because of Tiff, but when we moved out here to D.C. and I met Elly, we were able to gain a lot more ground."

He smiled at Critten. "So, why Elly, Elijah? Wouldn't Eli be the shorter version of your name?"

Tony stared at Critten as he actually turned red, an embarrassed smile on his face as he looked at Parke, then his desk, and then the other two men. Tony had wondered the same thing, but he hadn't had the time or moment to ask.

"Elly is what my mom called me. I was always facing the ultrasound too much, so they didn't know what I would be, but they thought I'd be a girl, and my mom wanted to name me Elly. They settled on Elijah when I was born, because she could still kinda get away with calling me Elly."

"Aww man! So you've been called by a girl's name your whole life?" Shane asked.

Elly looked at Parke and shook his head. He never broke eye contact with the other man while he took a deep breath and began speaking again. "No. My mom died when I was three, and my dad and brother wouldn't call me Elly anymore. Greg and I had a case that brought up the memory, and now he calls me Elly."

They were all silent for a minute, taking in the thought. Tony stared at Parke, and he wondered if the younger man was destined to always play the role of the big brother. He looked at Elly to see what was happening at his desk, and saw that he was still bright red.

"Greg has a way of naming you. My last name wasn't changed to Parke because I like the parks," Shane said, interrupting the silence, trying to speak around the frog that had jumped down his throat. He coughed, clearing the blockage. "When it became clear to us that none of the foster families we ended up with were going to ask us to stick around, we decided that we were the only family we needed, and I knew that one day, no matter what it took, I'd change my name to match my big brother's." He laughed suddenly. "Sure as hell didn't think it was gonna take having El Jefe on my ass to get it done!"

Tony smirked and looked back and forth between the three men. They were a group of misfits, and somehow, he felt comfort in that. Critten was smiling at Shane now, a bond forming between them. Tony shook his head. "Alright, guys. Back to working on the reports. I wanna see rough drafts before 1630. Get moving."

All three men tucked their heads back down in their paperwork, and he started turning his own outline into a long report. He was three pages in, fingers cramping, when he realized his clock read 2:55. He put the last few lines of the paragraph he was working on down, making sure to notate where he left off on his outline. He normally never bothered outlining, but with so many twists and turns in this investigation, he wanted to make sure he was getting everything down.

He shrugged into his coat and headed for the elevator. Gibbs was right behind him, pulling his own jacket on. The morning had been beautifully sunny, but as they drove to work, the clouds began rolling in, and the warm up they had been teased with disappeared completely. They got into the elevator silently and waited for the doors to close. There were two other people in the box with them, so they remained silent until they were out of the building.

"I thought we weren't going to try passing notes?" Tony said with a smile, wanting nothing more than to reach out and squeeze Jethro's hand as it swung between them, daring to brush against Tony in some way.

"Not planning on making a habit of it," Jethro said with a smile as he glanced away from Tony.

"Feel free," Tony said. "It's not like we have to hide from our own teams. The worst that would happen is being teased about it, and to be honest, they can tease all they like. It's not every day a forty year old man gets passed a love-note at work. I'll take whatever they give, because I'm not ashamed to admit that you make me happy."

Jethro turned to watch Tony's expression as they approached the bundled up barista. "I need a large coffee with hazelnut, cream and sugar, and three large coffees, with cream and sugar on the side please." He saw the shine in Tony's eyes, the way his cheeks were rosy in the cold, and the happy smile on his face that wasn't directed at anything in particular, but managed to cut through the gloom that seemed to be growing around them. The barista handed Tony a carrier with his coffees, and then took a handful of creamer and handed it to him at the same time as his debit card, all of which he put in his coat pocket. Jethro finally turned back to her to find that he was already being handed a cup, and he handed her a couple of bills. They two of them walked slowly back towards the building.

"You still want to go get boxes tonight?" Jethro asked Tony.

"Yeah, we can do that. Hopefully the heat is on in my apartment, otherwise packing is going to suck." Gibbs nodded his agreement.

"Did you hear Elly tell us why he goes by Elly instead of Ely?" Tony asked.

"Nope. Why?"

"His mom used to call him that, and when Parke found out, he started calling him that. No one else calls him that. Parke's got quite the big brother complex." Tony stared off at the sky as they approached the building.

"You still thinking about making him your Second?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah. It all depends on how well he's able to separate his personal feelings from professional during the rest of Shane's case though."

Gibbs looked at Tony as they walked through the lobby towards the elevators. He'd always known Tony was insightful when it came to judging peoples' characters, so he was surprised to find him taking his time with this decision. It wasn't an easy one to make, considering Critten would technically be the Senior Field Agent at a whopping six months seniority, but Parke had proven that he had natural leadership abilities. It had to feel right to Tony, though, and more than anybody, Gibbs knew that was what was important.

The elevator opened and they both got in.

"I have to meet with Vance at 1600," Tony said look at his watch. "We were going to meet early this morning, but with all of us coming in half a day and his early morning soiree in MTAC, he had to push it back. The report is going to have to wait. I have to go over that contract."

Gibbs looked over at him. "Thought you were reading it on the way home yesterday?" he asked.

"I was trying to, but I was still a little brain froggy, and the case was on my mind. I want to go over it all again. He isn't going to have the official copy for me to sign until the end of the week, but I need to make sure there's nothing in there out of date that needs to change before he hits print, ya know?"

They emerged from the elevator and separated, heading for their separate sides of the bullpen. There was a scattering of probies as they approached their desks, and Tony shot Gibbs a glance as Gibbs shot Tim and Ziva a glare. They took their seats again shamefaced, and Tony's team did the same.

"Something you guys wanna share with the rest of the class?" Tony asked both sides of the bullpen as he stood there next to his desk. Four versions of "no" echoed through the bullpen.

"Uh-huh," Gibbs said with a grunt as he took his seat. "I take it you're alllll done with your reports then?"

"No, Boss," McGee said, ducking behind his monitor.

"Not yet," Ziva followed up with.

Critten and Parke looked at each other and ducked down into their folders. Shane sat up, looking around the group in confusion. Tony smiled at him, and he shrugged and went back to writing up his statement.

Tony passed out the coffees and then began pouring over the contracts and paperwork Vance had given him. He found it to be pretty standard. He started looking over the benefits section about spousal insurance, and wondered if it would be cheaper for him and Gibbs to be on each other's plans. He smiled to himself at the thought, and then gathered up the papers.

He took out a small notebook and made a list of things he wanted to bring up while he had the Director's attention. He was going to go over Shane's situation, what his plan was if things hit the fan, and he wanted to go over the Melinda Stafford tapes with Parke, Critten and Ducky that week between cases. His team was on call that weekend, and he prayed that nothing happened so that he could be there with Jethro as they dealt with Jackson.

He checked the time and headed upstairs alone to Vance's office. It felt a little weird to be going up all by himself. He felt like he should be armed with a shield or something. He tried to keep realistic expectations. Yes, Vance knew about his relationship with Gibbs, and had been there for them in a surprisingly big way, but he was still the Director. He had made Tony a team leader, and had been impressed with him lately, but he was also stern with him about work issues, making sure that Tony knew he was still under the magnifying glass.

He waited for Pam to tell him he could go in, and then found Vance sitting at the conference table, some paperwork in front of him.

"Agent DiNozzo, have a seat," he said.

"Director," Tony greeted as he sat, dropping his stuff down in front of him. He noticed that Vance had copies of the contract in front of them, and a couple of thick file folders. He looked at them quickly with curiosity, and then back at the older man as he flipped through the copy of the contract. He noticed one of the folders was his file, but the other one was on the bottom, and he wasn't able to see the name on it.

"This was dropped off while I was in meetings today. It's the copy of the contract for you to sign." Vance looked up at Tony, one hand still holding a page of the contract up. "I wasn't expecting them to have it ready for me so soon, but since I had already put inquiries in about having one made when I was going to offer you the Maine position, I guess they were on standby. There's a couple of major differences between your copy and this one. I'll leave you to look over it while I run to the men's room." Vance handed the contract to Tony, and stood up. "Been a long day, and this might be the only chance I get."

Tony chuckled and looked over the contract casually until the door closed behind the Director. Then he started flipping through it, looking for the differences like a mad man.

 _Major differences?_ he thought. _What the hell could he-_

That's when he stopped- he'd found the major difference.

Provision of Future Consideration

_Upon acceptance of this contract, it is hereby agreed upon by both parties, Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, that in the event of the retirement, departure or death of the current Supervisory Agent of the Major Case Response Team, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. will be given first consideration for said position, and upon acceptance, will be able to retain individuals he sees fit to be in his responsibility. It is recognized and understood that failure to maintain the agreements set forth in this contract may deem Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. unfit for the position. In such circumstances, evidence must be submitted by two superiors or those of equal positions, or a superior and two of the parties Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. is responsible for, and a decision will be determined within ten (10) work week days. In the case that a decision cannot be reached, the Secretary of the Navy will have final say over whether or not Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. is fit for the position, and his decision is final and indisputable in a court of law unless the decision is able to be proven to have been altered by a bias against one of the protected categories of the Equal Opportunity Employment Act._

_As so, the position of Supervisory Special Agent of the Major Case Response Team is not mandated to be filled by Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. if said party does not wish to fulfill the position for personal or professional reasons that said party does not have to disclose, and said party may remain in the currently offered position if so chosen._

_Signature: __

_Date: __

Tony stared at the provision in the contract, and sat back in his chair, his mind running away on a stream of thoughts. He considered how horrible it would be to have to take over the MCRT if Gibbs were to be killed in duty. His head swam at the thought, and he moved on, blocking the thought out.

He wondered if he wouldn't want to retire when Gibbs retired, so they could enjoy retirement together. He still had a while before he could put in for it, but he knew that Gibbs would stay on until someone made him leave, and he kind of thought they would retire at the same time. That idea made him smile.

He also considered how much faith this meant that Vance was putting in him to succeed in his new position, and that made him feel pretty damned good. He once again reveled in how everything felt _right_ suddenly in his life, like everything was falling into place.

The thing that he wondered about the most though, was whether or not he would be challenged for the position once his relationship with Gibbs was public. With him planning to propose, hopefully they would be married, and it wouldn't remain a secret any longer. What would it look like if Gibbs retired and his position was handed over to his husband?

His thoughts were interrupted by Vance sitting down. He hadn't even heard the older man come in.

"So what do you think?" Vance asked.

Tony looked at him and blinked. "How is the provision going to be unbiased if Gibbs and I are married?"

Vance pulled back in surprise. "It wouldn't be any more biased than it is now. In fact, I think it would probably look even better if we can show that it's a long-term established, committed relationship than if you weren't married. Gibbs will have no part in the decision making process, therefore it wouldn't matter." Vance propped an elbow on the table and looked at Tony closely. "Are you two discussing marriage?"

Tony looked down at the contract, one hand playing with the pages while the other went to the back of his neck, rubbing nervously. "I uh- no. Not yet. But, we- I don't know."

Vance smiled broadly at Tony. "You might not be talking about it, but _you're_ at least thinking about it." He shook his head, the smile never fading. "I must say, you keep surprising me."

Tony groaned. "I'm more than thinking about it- I'm planning the proposal." He couldn't believe he was spilling to Vance of all people. Based on Vance's expression, he couldn't believe it either.

"That's pretty big news. That's going to be hard to keep from your team."

Tony took a deep breath and knew he was skating on thin ice. "We told them while we were in the hospital. There were a couple of things mentioned about being medical proxies for one another, and I made the call. Our trust was on the line, and I'm glad to report that things turned out really well." Vance was giving him a reproving look, so he kept going. "Based on their reactions, I'm really glad I told them when I did. If I would have told them later on, the team dynamic wouldn't be what it is now. Had to go with my gut on this one."

"Mmmhmm. Your gut," Vance said, still looking at him.

"Yes. Telling them now means that they can't come back later and claim unfair bias, and I needed to know that they would be okay with it. We're getting pretty personal with this case, and it needed to be done. I don't regret it. I'd rather have known now if there was a negative reaction than later."

Vance finally nodded his acquiescence. "I can understand that, just wish you would have told me first."

"It was a now or never kind of moment. Well, at least I couldn't imagine a more perfect opportunity."

Vance sighed. "Did you get to the second major change?" he asked.

"There's more?"

"Yes, there's more."

Tony flipped through another page and saw the next provision that had changed.

Undercover Assignments and Classified Information Disclosures

_In order to maintain the training and safety of those he will be responsible for, Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. will be restricted to undercover assignments that are not expected to last more than two weeks, and he will have full will to terminate any assignment that extends beyond that point._

_It will be the expectation that Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. will be forthcoming and share information, up to and including classified information with superiors, and has the express permission to discuss case matters, including classified information, with the current Supervisory Special Agent of the Major Case Response Team, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, as he sees fit unless Agent Gibbs' clearance is at some point revoked._

Tony looked up. "You added a special provision so that I could talk to Gibbs about cases?"

"Makes for lousy pillow-talk in my house, but I had a feeling that you would discuss things anyway, so I just wanted to make it legal to cover your asses." Tony looked at him in shocked confusion. "I'm adding it to Gibbs' file, too. He doesn't know it yet, but he will by the end of the day."

Tony stared the Director down for a minute. "Why have you done all of this for us?" he asked. "Not that it's not appreciated, but it seems very out of the blue."

Vance smiled. "You've been honest with me, so I'll be honest with you. I was pretty pissed when I found out you two had been hiding things from me. But then, I went home after the op last week, and Jackie and the kids were there, and I realized that there wasn't anything I wouldn't do to protect my family. That's when I realized that you two were doing the same thing, and for better or worse, that somehow endeared you to me- but don't tell Gibbs that."

Tony laughed. "Hey! I have a contract here stating that I'm allowed to tell him anything!"

"It's not signed yet, and if you _want_ to sign it, you'd better not give away my soft spot, not that he'd believe you anyway."

"Oh, he'll believe me!"

"Uhuh. Sure he will. So, what are you thinking?"

Tony looked at the contract in his hands, and then back at Vance. "I'm thinking I'd be stupid not to agree to this. I have to say, no matter how much I'm going to miss going undercover, I'm also kind of relieved that the stints will be shorter. Considering I won't be able to go undercover with Gibbs now, I think it's for the best."

Vance nodded at Tony, his fingertips resting against one another as he waited.

"I want to go over it again tonight, and then I can drop it off in the morning."

"Sounds smart. Make sure all of the 'T''s are crossed, then let me know." Tony nodded and set the contract aside.

Vance set Tony's file aside, and revealed the next thick folder underneath. Tony realized it was a classified folder, and he arched an eyebrow at Vance.

"This was couriered today and left on my desk. It's a file for Shane Douglas, or should I say Shane Parke. It contains a police report from Los Angeles, a police report from New York City, an FBI profile, a stack of newspaper clippings the size of a newspaper itself, and the Witness Protection modified plan for the kid. I'm not sure how Fornell was able to get all of this together in one file so quickly, but his John Hancock is the last signature on the file sign out. It's technically still signed out to him. I've browsed it, but I haven't gotten very deep. So far, _most_ everything I'm seeing is what we already know." He opened the file and Tony leaned forward as they turned the file to browse through.

"This is the signed report with the LAPD in which he gave testimony to a cop by the name of Brandish, and then there's another one from the same day where he gave the same information up to the FBI, plus a little more based on their questions. This, though, is where things get interesting, and where I had to stop reading.

"It appears that the FBI raided the hideout for the gang, and they found a handful of the members testing the merchandise. The merchandise being Alyscia Deckham, an eighteen year old high school drop out that had been missing for two weeks. The gang members were all brought in, and kidnapping, rape, and sex trafficking charges were pressed. Their lookout was offered a plea bargain if he would give up the location of El Jefe. The kid wouldn't though. He killed himself in his prison cell."

Tony winced, taking the file for a closer examination of the mug shots in the file and the M.E. photos of the kid that hung himself in his cell.

"I've seen that bruising before. That means he hung there a while before he strangled to death. It didn't break his neck. Obviously not handprints though." His eyes met Vance's. "So the kid killed himself before he could even get a proper trial. That means he wasn't trusted by his crew, and he knew it. He was so afraid of what they would do when they got him alone, he preferred to die." Tony shook his head at the thought. He turned the page to find the photos of Alyscia Deckham, and his stomach turned. "Shane had said that they were just a street team when he started with them, and that they had gotten rougher and rougher as time went on under El Jefe, but _this?_ This is beyond _rough_." The girl had been violently beaten, and there were other unidentifiable marks on her that Tony didn't want to think about. "This is just sadistic." He winced and turned the page, swallowing hard and clearing his throat. "No wonder it's taking Shane so long to write up his statement."

Vance had looked away from the photos himself, and that made Tony feel a little better about his queasiness. _At least it's not just me,_ he thought.

"The FBI had followed the gang from then on. What they found doesn't look to be pretty. I've only skimmed a few pages, but you'll need to look this over. There was a note attached that this has to be couriered back to Fornell tomorrow afternoon. I have a feeling he's playing Russian Roulette by having it out that long."

Tony pulled the file folder in front of him, and began reading the first paragraph on the next page. The name 'Douglas' had caught his eye, and he was about to read through the paragraph when Vance steered him back.

"What's the plan?" he asked.

"The plan could change depending on what's in this folder. Right now, the plan is to wait things out. If the FBI doesn't come around in a week or two saying that Shane is safe, we might step things up. We'll have to wait and see, and educate ourselves on the possible reactions we'll get if we push. I'd rather not push if we're not sure what we'll be shoving."

Vance gave a single nod of approval. "What else do you have for me?"

"Going to spend the week going through the Melinda Stafford videos with the guys. Parke has some great insight on that kind of stuff, and if Ducky isn't busy, we might pull him in as well. Between the group of us, if there's something to see, we'll find it."

"Sounds fair enough. What else?"

Tony wondered whether or not to bring it up, but decided to go with it while he had the rare open discussion opportunity. "Depending on how well Parke handles this case with his brother, I'd like to make him my SFA. I know that Critten has six months seniority, but Parke has a natural leadership quality that Critten responds well to. I don't think there will be any objections from either of them, but again, this all is dependent on what happens with this case."

"You've been on a four person team for a long time. If you pull anyone else on board, there's a good chance they'll have more seniority than either of your men. That could cause an issue."

"I've spent eleven years in the SFA slot, and you need more than seniority to do the job right. Gibbs pushed me and expected more from me, and made me earn it. The position carries the weight of being Second in Command, and it requires certain things." Tony tried to feel confident in what he was saying, but something about the tone in Vance's voice made him start second-guessing himself.

"I understand that, but what you need to ask yourself, is whether or not Agent Critten can be what you need if you pushed _him_ , and if doesn't deserve the chance to become that."

Tony nodded slowly, the thought hitting home. He had found himself as the leader of his own team over the past couple of weeks because of a few small situations that showed that the right people had faith in him, and he stopped doubting himself, stopped hiding behind his goofier side, and found confidence in a part of him that he'd always been afraid wasn't quite good enough to compare to those he held so high. If he gave Parke the position, despite how comfortable Critten may be deferring to him, what did that say to Critten? That he knew from their little bit of time together that he wasn't good enough? That he didn't have faith that he could be more?

"If the decision is made to make Parke my SFA, I'll be sure to let them both know the reasons. Neither of my men will ever doubt my faith in their capabilities." Tony's words came out calmly and much more surely than he felt. He relaxed a little when he saw Vance's smile of approval.

"I'll have this back to you tomorrow afternoon. I need to go through it before I decide how we'll be handling this going forward. Parke is staying with Shane at the apartment, but I was thinking of having Critten stay with him for a couple of hours while Parke went home to get some stuff and pick up clothes for Shane. I'll need the guys here, so I'll probably send Dorneget over."

"Do you ever think you'll take Dorneget seriously?" Vance asked, and Tony groaned. He was waiting for that question to be breached.

"Honestly? I don't know if _he_ will ever take him seriously. He's got observation skills, and he gives off such an obvious lack of confidence that he seems harmless, which at times, will be an asset to him, but he's so… I don't know? Scattered? Like forgetting his weapon on his first run out? I mean, who does that? It makes it really hard to see0 what he brings to the table when you can't look past what he _forgot_ to bring."

"Do me a favor, and work with him. You don't have to have him on your team, but direct him a little. He's got the drive to be here, but I think he has no clue what to do with himself now that he is." Vance stood up and headed for his desk. Tony got to his feet, trying to figure out if that was his cue to leave, when Vance opened up a filing cabinet and started rifling through folders. Tony headed over towards the large desk, stopping on the other side. Vance picked out the folder he was looking for, and then handed it to Tony. "Have this back tomorrow, too." Tony looked down at the name on the edge of the file, then looked up at Vance. "Maybe a little insight into his past would be helpful, seeing as how well it brought your team together."

Tony looked at the folder and nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll take a look." He headed back to the table and picked up the stack of file folders there.

"I'll see you in here same time tomorrow, and I want a briefing on what else you find in that file from Fornell, along with a plan on how to handle the possible outcomes of what they are about to do."

Tony stopped. "There are a lot of ways things can turn out, and most of them are dependent on what the FBI does next. If the worst comes to our door, we'll do what we do best, but plans change and they focus our attention on what we _want_ to see happen. We won't know what we're capable of until the time comes. The best I'll be able to offer is a general idea, unless that is, you want to take the fight to them." Tony looked at Vance with a steady eye and racing heart. He needed Vance to let him do what he needed to do, not babysit his every move. He knew that he would be under close scrutiny as a new team lead, but he wasn't about to run every detail past his boss. He needed room to be trusted, and he felt he was doing what it took to earn that.

"We'll talk tomorrow. Read the file."

Tony raised the files in a salute as he turned to head back to the bullpen. He took in his old team and new team both as he walked along the railing of the second floor platform towards the staircase. Parke was hovering over his brother, going over something about Shane's statement, and Critten was leaning over his keyboard with his fingers poised over the keys, pencil between his teeth and knee bouncing while his eyes focused on the screen in front of him.

He noticed that Tim was in his zone, focusing on his computer monitor like a drone, and Ziva was leaning with her head over her file folder, hand holding her hair back as she read. When he finally let his eyes fall on Gibbs, he saw that stern, focused, stiff postured Boss, all business as he read over something on his own computer, glasses poised on the end of his nose. He loved that Gibbs. The team leader, the Boss, in-charge, focused, driven, delicious...

He shook the idea out of his head, and descended the stairs. He dropped the folders down into his drawer and closed it before going to join Parke and Shane.

"How's the statement coming?" he asked, arms crossed as he tried to glance over the papers in front of Shane.

"Looking good. All that's about left is to sign it." Parke rested his hand on Shane's shoulder and squeezed, then headed back to his desk.

Tony leaned against the desk, and Shane rolled back a foot so they could look at one another as they talked.

"I will have more answers in the morning, and hopefully we'll have a better idea of what your immediate future holds. You'll be staying at the apartment with an agent after a morning briefing here tomorrow. I'm going to arrange for you to have a phone in case of an emergency, and we'll get you introduced to the agent you'll have with you. As for tonight," Tony looked over his shoulder at Parke and Critten. "Hey, guys."

Both men looked up from their desks.

"Parke, do you want to go see Tiffany tonight and get some stuff like clothes and things to keep at the apartment, and Critten can hang with Shane in the meantime?"

Parke looked at Elly, his eyes wide with a sudden energy. "Would that be cool with you?"

"Yeah, that's not a problem. I'll just take my stuff and work on this report." Elly looked up at Tony with a shrug.

Tony smiled back at Shane. "Looks like we have a plan." He stood up and headed over to Critten's desk. "How's your report going?"

* * *

Gibbs tried hard to keep his attention on his own work. He'd seen Tony come down from Vance's office with a stack of folders, and his curiosity was piqued, which made focusing a little harder than normal. He worked on his report and tried to listen in a little to Tony's conversation with his team. He found that he loved the way Tony spoke with confidence, not second guessing anything he said as he worked with Critten and then Parke on their reports. He led, directed, suggested, and told, but never with the harsh edge that he himself had. He had his own way of filling the role, and that made Gibbs happy.

"How much more you two got?" Gibbs asked, realizing that his own report wasn't going to get finished that day.

"Uh…" Tim started, looking at Ziva.

"Yeah, me too," Gibbs said. "This is one of those it's hard to explain."

Tim and Ziva exchanged looks again, then looked back at Gibbs with curious expressions.

"It's almost 1800. Go home, take a break, and be ready to have them finished by lunch tomorrow. Hopefully nothing happens tonight to keep us backlogged. We still have to sort out all of the files from Santiago's search." Gibbs froze as he realized how loud he had said that, and thanked God that he hadn't said it with as much frustration as he felt about the whole situation. He looked at the ceiling a second, waiting for someone on the other side of the way to react to the mention of Lenny, but when nothing was said, he breathed a sigh of relief that he realized was shared with both of his agents.

Tim and Ziva packed up their stuff, and Gibbs headed for Vance's office to find out what he wanted with an email he had received earlier. On his way up the stairs, he saw Dorneget join Tony and his team in the bullpen. He watched closely as he was introduced to Shane, the two of them shaking hands. He thought about Tony's mention of Dorneget's obvious crush on him, and cocked an eyebrow at the younger man. He knew that Dorneget wasn't any competition for him, but he still didn't like it. His rational side kicked in, and as Dorneget started talking to Shane and Tony more than anybody else, he realized that Tony was going to have the Probie babysit Shane.

He shook the jealousy off and wandered past Pam's desk to Vance's door. When he walked in, he found Vance on the phone with Jackie, and he smiled and took a seat to wait out the conversation.

"I know. I'll be there. I've only got one more thing to take care of here, and unless the world is about to end, I'll be home by seven. I promise."

Gibbs smiled as he listened to the conversation in front of him, his eyes catching Vance's, making the other man look away. "I'm gonna go. Gibbs just walked in and as soon as I am done with this, I can leave. I love you. I'll see you by seven."

Gibbs took that to mean this was going to be quick and painless. He was glad, because he wanted to get home too.

Vance hung up the phone and pushed a sheet of paper towards Gibbs. Gibbs pulled out his glasses, and picked up the paper. He saw the addendum to his contract and chuckled.

"Really, Leon? We need a legal document to be able to talk to each other about this stuff?"

"There have been special provisions in Agent DiNozzo's contract that this will make sense for once you two discuss it; provisions that he seems pretty happy about." Gibbs raised an eyebrow at him. "Just sign the damned paper so I can go home to my wife. The kids are at their grandmother's tonight, and Jackie's made her famous roast."

Gibbs smirked and grabbed a pen from Leon's desk.

"Consider this my way of covering everyone's asses," Vance said, taking the signed paper and opening a thick folder, slipping it in. Gibbs was already on his feet and heading for the door. "In a rush tonight, yourself."

"Looks like I have some things to go discuss with my partner, and you have pot roast to go _discuss_ with your wife," Gibbs said with a chuckle as the door closed behind him.

 _What the hell was that about?_ He thought as he headed for the stairs to the bullpen. Tony was alone now at his desk, the rest of the large room quiet. He went directly to the wall behind his desk and leaned on the top ledge, looking down over Tony's shoulder at the file he was buried deeply in. He noticed the classified tape along the edges, and he cringed.

"Do we need to postpone packing tonight?" he asked quietly, startling Tony.

Tony turned to smile regretfully at him and nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry."

"No problem. I get it. Can that come home with us?"

Tony nodded.

"Good. Let's stop by the store though. We can get something to make, and you can explain these _provisions_ to me over some dinner." Tony smiled broadly.

"I'm on board with that! Whatcha making me?" Tony asked, getting to his feet and packing up the folders in his backpack. Gibbs turned the lamp off on his desk, and then walked through his side of the bullpen to meet Tony at the elevator.

"I don't know. What are you in the mood for?"

"Hmmm…" Tony thought while they headed down to the garage in the elevator. "What kind of skills do you have with seafood?"

Gibbs smiled. "I might know a thing or two about fish," he said as the doors opened to let them out. "Or I can grill shrimp kebobs on the fireplace."

"You've been holding out on me!" Tony joked.

"Tony, I build boats! I work for the Navy! I had better know how to cook a damn fish!" They were both laughing as they got into the car. As was becoming their habit, Gibbs rested his hand in Tony's lap, asking for his in return, and Tony took it, letting their fingers slide between one another.

As they got onto the Beltway, Tony looked at Gibbs. "Fornell sent a file to Vance for me on the case, but he wasn't supposed to let it out of sight. I have to go over it tonight and get what I need by tomorrow afternoon before someone finds out that he's not the one with the file."

Gibbs was a little surprised by that. If it was him leading the case, Fornell would have dropped it by the basement and they would have gone over it for a few minutes. He figured Fornell was probably stuck in the office and having someone drive him around with his foot in a cast, so taking a classified folder to the basement of an NCIS agent's house wasn't going to happen inconspicuously. Still, he wondered, why send it to Vance and not Tony directly? What could be in the file that was necessary for Vance to see as well? Gibbs was suddenly understanding why there was now in a 'CYA clause' in his contract.

"Looks like you've got a lot of reading to do tonight."

"Yeah. I'm heading in early tomorrow to get a briefing together for the guys. Dorneget is going to take Shane back to the apartment to sit on him tomorrow while Parke and Elly finish their reports and we work."

Gibbs pulled into the lot of the grocer, and turned off the car. He leaned in and gave Tony a kiss. "Start reading. I'll be back in a few." Tony smiled at his retreating lover, and shook his head before pulling the file out of his bag.

" _Sure_. Kiss me like that, and then expect me to concentrate on work! Yeah, right!"

* * *

An hour and a half later, Tony was called into the kitchen from his spot curled up by the fire on the couch. He had been pouring over the folder that Fornell had given him, and he was dazed. He needed to let his thoughts settle and then come back to it. He grabbed his contract, and he met Gibbs in the kitchen.

There were a stack of shrimp and vegy kebobs on a plate in the middle of the table, and there was rice in a large saucepan on a potholder next to them. Jethro set two beers down on the table, and they sat down to eat. Tony handed him the contract, and picked up a beer. They both loaded their plates, but Jethro ignored the food in lieu of the paperwork before him. He sipped his beer as he read over the normal stuff quickly, and then he saw the changes.

Tony watched Jethro's face as he bit piece by piece off of a kebob.

Jethro read over the first sentence and stopped, then reread it. His eyebrows both arched in surprise, and he sat up, looking down at the paper as he reread it yet again. He was surprised, to say the least.

"Does that really say that?" he asked. Tony cocked his head to the side as he looked down at his plate. He wasn't sure of what to make out of his lover's reaction to the news that he was set to one day replace him.

"Yes," he said quietly, afraid to look back up and see doubt in his former boss' eyes

Jethro wasn't sure of what to say. So many things were going through his mind. He had questions on Vance's motives, an uneasy feeling in his stomach at the thought of ever leaving his job behind, but the idea that Tony deserved the chance to one day lead the MCRT was what weighed the most. He wasn't planning on retiring for a long time if he had his way. He didn't want to have the guilt of never giving Tony the chance to step up, force him to leave his job before he was ready, and possibly cause him resent his partner. He had no doubts in Tony's ability to do it though, and he knew that he needed to affirm that for Tony.

"I think we both always assumed it would one day be yours until the past couple of weeks. It's good to know that Vance is on board with our plans," he said, picking up a kebob. Tony looked up at him with a smile, and Jethro sighed a bit in relief that he had said the right thing.

"Actually, I don't know. I mean, I'm not expecting you to retire for a while. By time you do, who knows? I might have put in my time and want to retire with you. I'm halfway there almost. We'll wait ten years, and if Vance hasn't sent one of us off a cliff yet, we'll revisit it." Tony gave Jethro a big cheesy smile as he reached for his beer.

Jethro settled a little more inside at Tony giving him another ten years to consider it all. He smiled at Tony and leaned forward, placing his hand on Tony's knee as he stole a quick kiss. Tony accepted it gladly, and placed his hand on Jethro's, squeezing it once before letting him have it back to eat with.

"There's more," Tony said, gesturing to the paperwork with his bottle. "Keep going."

Jethro continued reading the section.

"Those are some pretty specific and strict guidelines if they want to deny you. Vance's sudden shine to you has me worried."

Tony chuckled, thinking about what Vance said to him earlier. "I thought you'd already read that. Flip to the next page. Or maybe it's two pages more. There's another section."

Jethro squinted and flipped over to the provision on Tony's new undercover limitations and their open information disclosure. He looked at Tony and then looked down at the contract, then looked back at Tony a little concerned.

"Are you okay with being limited to this? I know you love undercover work." Jethro looked at Tony's expression, trying to read any attempt to skirt the truth. Tony knew that look, and he knew better than to lie.

"It's going to be a change, but a welcome one. It's not that I won't be able to go undercover, it's just that when I do, I get to decide when enough is enough. Going deep…" Tony trailed off, trying to decide how to word what he was feeling about it. "Going deep isn't worth the risk now. It loses its thrill when you have something to lose."

Jethro felt the corner of his mouth turn up involuntarily. Tony smiled at him shyly.

"I guess I just have something worth coming home to, and I want to make sure I can still do that. Vance told me today that he has a soft spot for us."

"Us?" Jethro asked, stopping his bottle a few inches from his lips, eyebrow cocked.

"Yeah, as in _us._ You know, as a couple. Apparently our relationship with each other and the team reminds him of his family, and he's big on families." Tony pulled a shrimp off the center of a kebob. "He also told me he would kill me if I told you, and I pointed to the disclosure clause in the contract."

Jethro laughed and shook his head. "I guess there are worse people to have on our side."

They finished eating, talking about what it was going to take to actually get Tony's things moved into the house. Jethro was very careful not to ask about the case file Tony was burying himself in, trying to respect Tony's wishes about staying out of it unless the need arose. It was harder than he expected it to be. He cleared the table, and Tony helped with the dishes. They were done in a few minutes, and headed for the living room.

Jethro plopped down on the couch with the book he had started reading a few weeks before, and flipped back to the beginning to start again. He had only been a little more than a chapter into it so he figured starting over wouldn't be a bad idea. Tony flopped down next to him to go through the file, spreading it out over the coffee table. He had a tablet in his hand and kept writing things down as he read. Jethro tried to concentrate on his book, but he couldn't. He was eager to know what was in the files, and even more eager to know what his partner was getting himself messed up in.

He tried to remind himself that Tony wasn't him; if he was going to do something dangerous, he'd give him a heads up, and if he needed his help, he'd ask. Tony had always seemed to know when to get involved with his messes, and he hoped that he would know when to get involved with Tony's.

Jethro hadn't realized that he was staring until Tony reached out his hand and laid it in his lap. He smiled and took the offered hand.

"Guess I'm not too subtle."

Tony looked up at him with a smile. "Nah, but I appreciate you trying." He squeezed Jethro's hand and continued working, not offering up any information. Jethro took a deep breath.

"I'm going to have to get used to this, aren't I?" he asked.

"Yeah, looks like it. Don't worry though, I have to get used to it, too." He gave Jethro a quick glance, meeting his eyes for a moment to tell him that he meant it, then turned back to his folder.

"Okay. I'm gonna go work in the basement. Maybe not staring at you might help," he said, putting his book down and getting up. Tony pulled him down towards him by the hand he refused to let go of, and snagged a kiss.

"Okay, now you can go." He smiled brightly up at his lover, and then turned back to his folders. Jethro shook his head and headed for the basement.

Two hours later, the folder completely gone through and pages of notes taken, Tony packed it up and headed for the basement. He stretched as he headed for the door, and yawned as he made his way down the stairs. He stopped towards the bottom and hung over the railing for a moment, watching as Jethro finished sanding the final touches of the bench he had been making for his dad. All that was left was to stain it, and he had told Tony he was going to wait until he knew what shade Jackson wanted it to be before doing it.

"It really is beautiful," he said, his eyes shifting from the inlay on the back to Jethro.

Jethro didn't say anything, but shrugged a little as he dropped the sandpaper on the bench, and joined Tony at the bottom of the stairs.

"Is it safe to come up now?" he asked, taking Tony's hand as he stepped onto the step below Tony and looked up at him, his chest pressing against Tony's stomach.

Tony smiled down on him and brought his other hand to Jethro's face.

"Yes." He leaned forward and stole Jethro's lips, kissing him deeply and slowly. Jethro stepped up to the step that Tony was on, wrapping his free arm around the younger man's waist and pulling him close as their kiss continued.

It felt like a celebration of sorts. They had their first test of being able to keep their working relationship separate while still keeping their personal relationship positive, and they had passed. The kiss was the culmination of the desperate need to be close to one another and share something with each other, and the relief that they had handled such a fragile moment together. Tony was proud of himself for keeping Jethro out of his case, and Jethro was proud of himself for admitting to Tony he was struggling with it, and removing himself from the situation. They both celebrated not getting mad at each other in the process, and their tongues danced over one another slowly, reveling in their success.

They pulled out of the kiss together, drifting from the headspace they had let themselves get lost in. Their hazy stares met each other, and they simply looked into each other's eyes for a long time, seeing their love and pride reflecting back at them. Tony turned first, leading Jethro up the stairs by the hand, and then up to the bedroom, flipping off lights as he went.

They got into their room, and pulled their clothes off, tossing them towards the hamper. Jethro pulled back the comforter and blanket to reveal the clean sheets they had put on the bed before going to breakfast, and they both slid under the covers. The light on the nightstand went off, and Tony turned to curl into Jethro's chest, and Jethro wrapped his arms around Tony, his face buried in Tony's hair.

Jethro took in the way that Tony smelled, felt the warmth of his body against him, and could feel the steady rise and fall of his back when he breathed. Knowing that Tony was secure there in his arms, unable to be taken away, was the most reassuring feeling in the world. Nothing was going to happen to them when they were like that. They would protect one another always, but there, in their bed, wrapped up against one another, they were safe.


	33. Chapter 33

Tony stared at the clock, his right hand lying over Jethro's left shoulder, and his head lying on the right one. He was warm and comfortable, and he felt like nothing could ever go wrong as long as he didn't have to move from that spot. It was still dark in the room, and the clock next to the bed said that the alarm would be going off in about ten minutes.

He smiled to himself as he closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of the man underneath him. Other than the occasional whiff of morning breath, Jethro smelled perfect. It was hard to describe, but over the years, and especially over the past few weeks, it had become a smell that he could only identify as "Gibbs". It wasn't quite the Old Spice, or the sawdust, or the coffee. It was a combination of all three, with the musky scent of a man underneath it all- a little bit of sweat, dust, and earth.

He didn't want to move, but his bladder begged him to, and he had to listen. He kissed Jethro's lips lightly, hoping to slip out of bed, pee, and then make it back to bed before the alarm went off so that Jethro didn't wake up without him there. He crawled back into bed right as the alarm started blaring. Jethro smacked the snooze and rolled over, pulling Tony against him tightly. Tony went willingly, and held Jethro back just as closely.

"Don' wann' 'et up," he mumbled into Tony's neck, and Tony smiled, kissing the top of Jethro's head.

"Love you, Jethro," he whispered, nuzzling the sleepy man.

"Love you, too, Tony. Never lettin' you go. Stay right here."

Tony chuckled, loving the dozy voice that Jethro had when he wasn't quite awake.

"Forever, Jethro. Forever."

"You sure?" Jethro asked, snuggling deeper into Tony's chest, pulling the blankets up around them some more.

"I have absolutely no doubts that this is how I want to spent forever," Tony whispered, kissing the top of Jethro's head again, holding him even closer to him.

"None? Really?" Jethro asked, starting to lose the battle with waking up, his voice sounding a little more alert.

"Not a single one," Tony replied, a core of peace settling within him. Loving Jethro was the most honest thing he had ever let himself feel. It was going to be a life-long joy, and he really didn't have a doubt in his mind that he was going to be with the older man for the rest of their lives.

"Hmm… that's nice," Jethro said quietly. "I guess I haven't done anything yet to make you wonder if you've made the wrong decision. Gimme time, I'm sure I'll do something."

Tony smacked the back of Jethro's head suddenly.

"Hey!" Jethro yelped, trying to pull back. "What the hell was that for?!"

"You won't make me second-guess our relationship, Jethro! We've been through this. I know what you can be like, and I'm here. This is where I want to be, and I do not now, nor will I ever, have any doubts that you are who I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Jethro let out a loud exhale, but nodded.

"Good. Now snuggle with me until the damn alarm goes off again."

Jethro smiled and shook his head as he snuggled into Tony. He couldn't believe he was so lucky as to finally have this again, and he was loving every minute of it. He once again thought about the idea of one day asking Tony to marry him, and it felt right. He wasn't sure if it was time yet, but he knew that one day, he would ask.

Tony, meanwhile, was thinking that he couldn't wait any longer. He ached to tell Jethro that he wanted to make that promise permanent, and he wanted to erase any ideas that he might one day doubt what this relationship was. He made a decision as the alarm went off, and it felt so right that it sent tingles through him in every direction. He had some shopping to do, and he knew just who he was going to take with him.

* * *

Tony sat in the passenger seat of the car as Gibbs drove them to work that morning. He was reading through Dorneget's file. Everything in the work portion of the profile pointed to the Dorneget he knew- somewhat clumsy, anxious, easily toyed with. It wasn't until he read through his time at FLETC, his education history and his psych profile that he really started to feel like he understood what Vance meant.

Dorney came from an average American family, but he was always the odd one out. He attended public school in a neighborhood where all the kids went to private school. He got good grades, but unlike his brothers, he didn't have a prayer athletically. He and his parents were estranged, and though it didn't say why in the file, Tony had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with Dorney's coming out. He majored in criminal justice in college with minors in psych and drama, finishing with a 3.8 GPA. At FLETC, he had a knack for the kinds of things no one else was good at, often getting wiped out in physical training, while excelling at data analysis and intricate strategic planning. His psych profile was what really made Tony think.

Dr. Raymond had stated:

_Agent Dorneget seems to try too hard to fit into the roles society sets. He wants so desperately to fit in, that he doesn't see the potential that lies within his passions. He limits what he does due to his fear of standing out because of his past, but if given the chance and a boost of confidence, his talents could thrive in the agency. The greatest asset to Ned would be someone who was able to tailor his social awkwardness to a comfortable level, while boosting his confidence in his professional capacities, giving him the opportunity to use his talents to prove his worth._

Tony groaned, rubbing his fingers against his temple while resting his head on the window.

"What?" Gibbs asked as they waited in line to flash their badges at the new guy that Alex was training at the Yard gate.

"Vance has me going through Dorneget's file to get to know him so that I can mentor him or something. He flat out told me that he didn't expect me to take Dorney on my team, but…"

"You think he wants you to."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he does. I'm not sure how well he'd fit in with Parke and Critten, but that's kind of what his file says to expect." Tony stopped to hold up his badge to Alex and the new guy. Both Gibbs and Tony took their time evaluating the newbie, and memorized his features. "How you doin', Alex?" Tony asked.

"Hanging in there. This is Steve. He comes to us from the Pentagon." Alex looked at Tony pointedly, and Tony nodded.

"Nice to meet you Steve." Steve seemed a little thrown off by the awkward introduction, and he raised an eyebrow at Alex who nodded them on.

"Anyway," Tony continued as they headed into the garage. "Dorneget apparently has the kinds of skills that can't be tapped until he finds a way to fit in with those around him, and since he grew up always sticking out like a sore thumb, he's not so great at the whole fitting in thing."

Gibbs scoffed. "Ya think?"

Tony gave him a reproving eye roll. " _That's_ the point."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Looks like Vance wants someone to help rein him in enough to find a place to fit, and since we're all a bunch of misfits, he's thinking he'll find a place to land amongst us. Thing is, the kinds of skills he's got, we need at the agency. You and I won't be around here forever, and his strategic planning scores are off the chart. His instructor placed a comment in his file that said, and I quote, " _Ned Dorneget excels at creating long term strategy plans for some of the most difficult situations, managing resources, time, personnel and geography with precision, but gets flustered making lunch plans."_

Gibbs looked at him in surprise, glancing at the folder.

"I wouldn't have had any idea he could do that. He doesn't seem like he has that kind of…" Tony stopped, not sure he wanted to finish the thought.

"Intelligence?" Gibbs supplied with a shrug.

"Not to be cold, but, yeah. He's never been in the position to show that he's capable of it, because he is so awkward none of us want to deal with the precursors. But we both know Balboa won't have the patience for him, and no offense, but neither would you. He's even more awkward than McGee when he started with us."

"Hey! I've grown pretty attached to McGee!" Gibbs said with a chuckle.

"You must be! I mean, he's your SFA and he's getting away with dating Abby."

They sat in the parked car, staring out of the windshield together as they thought.

"Well, what if you do what Vance suggested? Be his mentor, see where it goes from there."

"If I do that, and eventually decide he should be on the team, I'm pulling him into an already close-knit group, and this issue he has with being the odd man out will only get worse. With him guarding Shane, he's going to be earning Parke's trust and working closer with Critten. It might be best if he gets thrown into the mess now."

Gibbs rested his hand on Tony's leg, and Tony instinctively took it.

"You need to do what you feel is best for your team. If you feel like he would eventually be a good match with some coaching, then do it. You don't have to decide right now. Work through this case, and if things seem like they will work out, you can give it a try." Tony looked into Gibbs' eyes, their no-nonsense clarity helping him focus. He nodded and exhaled.

"Thanks."

"Anytime," Gibbs said with a smile, squeezing Tony's hand. "Let's go. I'm going to go grab another coffee. You want some?"

"Sure, thanks," he said, leaning in for a quick kiss before sliding the file in his backpack as Gibbs got out of the car and closed the door. "And that's why I wanna marry him," he whispered to himself as the smile spread across his face, and all of the nerves in his body settled. He got out of the car and saw that Gibbs was waiting for him by the column a few cars down. He joined him and they walked together to the elevator.

"Can I steal McGee at lunch today for an hour?" Tony asked, swallowing hard as the elevator doors closed on them.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at him, then flipped the switch. "If his report is done. Did I do something?"

Tony laughed and put his hand on Gibbs' hip. "No, I promise. It's nothing bad."

Gibbs stepped closer to him until they were chest to chest. He nodded, and then kissed Tony properly. Tony stood there in surprise. Gibbs stepped back and smiled at Tony's dazed expression before flipping the switch and moving to stand next to him platonically again. Tony shook his head and straightened his suit and tie, casting a double take glance at his lover. The doors opened to the bullpen and Tony got out, only then realizing that Gibbs had forgotten to push the floor to the lobby so he could go for his coffee. He turned to watch as Gibbs reached for the button, and their eyes met. Gibbs shrugged at him with a smile. Tony resisted shaking his head again, and then made his way to his desk to start on the briefing report.

* * *

Gibbs took a deep breath as the elevator doors shut. His heart had stopped when Tony asked to hang out with McGee at lunch. He thought for a moment that maybe he had crossed a line giving Tony advice on Dorneget's placement. The kiss had let him know that Tony wasn't mad at him though. He felt nothing but the love and joy he had felt that morning and the night before in the kiss, and the relief was palpable. He got him and Tony a coffee each, then grabbed a CafPow for Abby before heading down to her lab. She had just put her stuff down in her office when he came in.

"Gibbs! How did you know I needed a pick me up this morning?" she ran forward and grabbed the cup, throwing one arm around Gibbs in a quick hug before stepping back and slurping.

"Pick me up, Abs?"

Abby nodded turning and avoiding Gibbs' stare. "Yeah, just McGee stayed at his place last night, I stayed at mine, and I couldn't sleep."

She moved to start turning on her machines, and Gibbs stood in the middle of the lab suddenly feeling very awkward. He wasn't sure he was the best person to handle the kind of comforting it seemed like Abby was reaching for, but he knew she was expecting him to try. He searched frantically for something to say, and when she finally turned back to him, the sad puppy dog look on her face begging him for a response, "That's why Tony moved in with me," came blurting out of his mouth.

Abby smiled and sat her cup down next to her computer.

"Not quite sure I'm there yet, Gibbs, but I am seriously considering that being a part of my future. Not like, the _near_ near future, but maybe the not so far future, you know? Like, not this month or anything, but not like, say, years from now. Somewhere in between. Like, maybe a year? But that would mean spending the next year going back and forth between each other's apartments, and neither of us really have space for another person, you know? And that would mean that there would be a _lot_ of nights like last night that we wouldn't be falling asleep like we… well you know, all snuggled up and stuff, and we wouldn't wake up to that really great feeling you get when you wake up with someone you lo-" Abby froze, then turned on her heel and looked at Gibbs with a panic on her face. Gibbs blinked and stepped towards her worried, sitting the cup carrier with his and Tony's coffee in it on the counter.

"Abs?" he asked, looking at her with concern.

"Gibbs, I don't want to go to sleep at night alone anymore. I don't want to wake up, alone anymore." Gibbs blinked, knowing that he was completely out of his league with this kind of discussion, but Abby needed him at that moment, and he thought to himself that if it were Kelly coming to him, he wouldn't let her down, and he wouldn't let Abby down.

"Then talk to McGee, Abs."

"I- I don't know if I can. I mean, I have started using the L word with him, Gibbs, and not just like I always say it to like Tony and stuff, because yeah, Tony is my best friend and I do love him, but I mean, it like with a capital L, as like the big L, the I-really-mean-it L, and that was really hard, Gibbs! Not hard to say, but hard to admit. The first time I said it, I didn't really even think about it, because I had been thinking about it nonstop for days, but admitting to myself that he was the one I-" Abby froze again, and her hands covered her mouth. Gibbs stood there wide-eyed as Abby came to terms with the idea of wanting to spend the rest of her life with Tim. He realized she was breathing weird and moved closer to her, resting a hand on each of her shoulders.

"Abby, breathe." Abby took a deep breath in on command through her nose, her hand still covering her mouth. "Are you saying that you want to be with him for good?"

Abby nodded.

Gibbs smiled at her. "And why is that a bad thing?" Abby looked at him puzzled and then dropped her hand.

"I- I guess it's not."

"You're panicking, Abs, so it must not be exactly perfect."

"We're just so different, Gibbs! I mean, yeah, in here, it's like we share a brain, but we're so different! What if we can't stand living together? What if we can't agree on the big stuff? What if we mess this up and I lose my best friend?" Gibbs wrapped her in a hug, and Abby leaned on him.

"I always mess this up, Gibbs. I have the worst taste in men. Tim is safe, and I adore him. He makes me happy, and I know he'll never hurt me, but I've never wanted the safe, stable kinda thing before. Yeah, I want it right now, but since when? And what happens to us if I decide it's not for me?"

They were both silent a minute, and then Gibbs stepped out of the hug. "Abs, people change. We all change. What we want now, may not be what we always thought we wanted. I mean, hell, I never thought I'd ever find what I have again, and I sure as hell never thought I'd find it with a _guy_." He smiled as Abby laughed and wiped her eyes. "What we need out of life changes. You have never _settled,_ Abs, and you never would. You've got a big heart- follow it. Just stay honest with McGee, and keep talking to him about what you're thinking. He'd never push you into something you weren't ready for, or ask you for more than you can give."

"Because you'd kill him," Abby said as she crossed her arms and smirked at Gibbs, but Gibbs just shook his head.

"No, because he's crazy about you. Always has been."

Abby smiled shyly, her nerves seeming to settle immediately, and she got a dreamy far off look in her eyes as she remembered waking up from puking her guts out St. Paddy's day night in Tim's arms on her bathroom floor.

Gibbs shook his head. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I trust him with you, Abs. That should tell you something." He picked up the coffee tray and walked out of the lab, leaving Abby standing there, leaning against the metal table.

She knew that Tony was going to ask Gibbs to marry him soon, and he knew that Gibbs wanted to marry Tony. She wondered if Tim wanted to marry her, and she began asking herself if she wanted to marry Tim. Her head started spinning at the idea, and she reached for Bert, pulling him close as she thought.

x-x-x

Gibbs headed for the elevator, and when it opened, he found McGee about to step off. He smiled at the younger man, and as he switched him places on the lift, squeezed his shoulder. Tim looked at him in surprise, and saw that his boss was smiling at him with a crooked, knowing smile. He barely had time to raise an eyebrow at him before the doors finished closing. He turned towards the lab, approaching cautiously.

As he got to the doorway, he could hear Abby talking to herself, or rather to Bert, as she leaned against the evidence table. He settled against the doorway, smiling as he watched her pick fuzz off of her furry friend and ramble, then he heard what she was talking about.

"Bert, marriage is, well it's _forever_. I'm sure I'm not ready for marriage like they are, but I don't like this whole being apart thing either. I can't sleep at night without him there, wondering if he's safe on a case, or if he'd rather be there with me. What do I do?" She hugged him tightly, causing him to release his trademarked fart, and she smiled.

Tim felt every hair on his body stand up, and his heart raced a million flutters a minute in his chest as his palms began sweating and his throat threatened to close up. Any moment now, Abby would turn around and realize he had been standing there and that he heard everything. There was no denying that. He knew what she meant though. He understood her hesitations on getting married. He loved her, and he had for so long, but they were just starting this relationship on this whole new level, and though he had hated every minute of lying awake alone in bed the night before, he was unsure of whether or not he would be enough for Abby in the long run. He was going to give it his all, and fight for her all the way, but he knew that she was still touch and go on the happily ever after part of this.

The moment was up. Abby turned around to pick up her CafPow off the table, and she stopped, realizing that Tim had been standing there. He didn't have any more time to think, any more time to talk himself out of what he wanted to say, and the words just left his mouth.

"We could try living together."

xx-xx-xx

Gibbs dropped Tony's coffee off on his desk, and tried to ignore the files that it sat next to.

"Just had an interesting talk with Abby," he said kind of tensely.

Tony looked up at Gibbs as he picked up his cup and took a drink of his coffee. "Oh?"

"Maybe not so much interesting as emotional. I'll understand if you and McGee are gone a while at lunch." He turned and left Tony sitting there bewildered and slightly concerned. Unfortunately, he had work matters to worry about at the moment, and had to push the personal problems to the back of his mind for the time being. He was finishing his mild hack job of the FBI databases to get as much of the file he was looking through as possible to print for his team. The rest he had bullet pointed and print out already.

Dorneget showed up before the rest of his team, greeting him cheerfully, and took a seat at the empty desk, dropping his bag on the floor.

"Good morning. Do me a favor, will you? Can you get in this cabinet here, second drawer, and pull four blank folders? I need to get these print and secured," Tony asked, sending another document to the printer.

Dorneget got to his feet and headed for the cabinet. "Sure. You said four?"

"Yeah, one for each of us." Tony noticed the way that Dorneget's posture straightened as he pulled the folders from the drawer, the word "us" striking him as odd.

He looked from Tony to the printer, and decided to go to the printer to

pull the papers waiting there. He brought the stack back to the empty desk and began putting them into the files without asking. Tony looked up at him.

"Hey! Thanks! There should be about six more things to go in there though, so give it a second before you get too far." Tony went back to the files on his computer, trying to decide what he could get away with pulling. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Ned has begun looking through the paperwork in front of him already, absorbing what he could.

Tony sent the rest of the documents to the printer as Critten showed up. Dorneget grabbed the paperwork and started putting the files together in earnest, handing all four back to Tony. Tony took the one from the top of the stack and handed it back to him.

"If you're going to be watching Shane, you're going to need to know what we're up against." Dorneget looked at the file in his hand like it was sacred. He nodded and sat back down at the desk, reading through it. Tony handed one of the files off to Critten and asked him what time Parke had finally made it back to the apartment last night to take over being with Shane.

"About 11:00," he answered with a smirk.

"How long had it been since he'd seen, Tiff anyway?" Tony asked, feeling social and nosy.

"Ten days," came a voice from behind him as Parke and Shane came into the bullpen. "That's way too long!" The whole group chuckled, even Dorneget, and Parke took his seat at his desk, Shane leaning up against the side of it in a fresh pair of jeans, t-shirt and open button down. Tony was glad to see that Parke had still made some time to stop and pick up something for Shane to wear that wasn't covered in grass stains. He handed a folder to Parke and called for a campfire.

Greg and Elly grabbed their chairs from behind their desks and scooted them into the middle of the room in a huddle. Tony did the same. Dorneget picked up on the meaning of the word and joined in, though a little further back from the rest of them. Shane grabbed a stool he saw in the corner and sat it next to Greg. Tony scooted closer to Dorney to make room and widen the circle to include the awkward possible-probie.

Even in the circle of agents, he noticed that Dorneget stood out more than Shane just because of his demeanor. He was stiff and unsure of himself, and it showed. Tony tried to find the patience inside of him to move beyond the ball of tension next to him as he started talking.

"Okay, this is what we know. Shane turned in El Jefe's crew and their budding sex trafficking ring was thwarted. They raided the crew's headquarters, and they found a young girl, Alyscia Beckham being raped and tortured." Shane hissed and winced beside him.

"I didn't know they had Alyscia. That's…"

Greg reached out and squeezed Shane's shoulder.

"Don't look in the folders, man," Tony said. Shane nodded and sat back, breathing deeply. Tony continued. "She was taken to the hospital, and the guys were arrested. This guy, Cole Tennyson killed himself in prison because he was supposed to be keeping watch when they were raided."

"Smart man. If any of the guys arrested woulda gotten ahold of him, he'd've been screwed anyway. And if _El Jefe_ would've gotten to him somehow, he would have wished he would never have been born." Shane shook his head, staring each man in the circle in the eyes as he spoke.

"And you had the balls to turn them in?" Elly asked.

Shane looked down a little and swallowed, then nodded and looked back up into Elly's eyes. "I saw what they were doing to those girls. I couldn't have lived and looked at myself in the mirror every day if I hadn't of. I'd rather have…" Greg put his hand on Shane's shoulder again, leaving his hand there for a minute while they all sat in silence.

When Tony spoke again, his voice was clear but quiet as he ran down what was happening. "Long and short of it, they can't find El Jefe now. He went underground, but somehow, he's still giving orders. The violence has cranked up, and the turf wars that have been starting between them and other gangs are depleting the gang's numbers drastically. They're pulling more and more people into the fold simply because they are afraid to say no. There is no age limit, too young or too old. They've found an eight year old and ten year old running for them now, making deliveries. Things are getting out of control, and El Jefe is power hungry. Getting his cash crop pulled out from under him has made him mad, and the fact that he has to hide is making him announce his presence even louder."

Shane sighed.

"The FBI have been working with the Border Patrol. They have a plan in place to cut off his major suppliers, and they are coordinating as we speak with local police departments and the DEA to bring down raids on multiple locations that they believe El Jefe could be hiding. If he's not there, then at least he'll be on the run. There are four locations listed in your folders," he said, flipping to the page in his own, finding that Dorneget had rearranged the order to make sense.

He handed Shane his folder with the list of locations. "Any ideas on which would be the most likely place they'd find him?" he asked.

"My guess would be he's here, but if things are as janked as you're saying, he could be in any of them. The problem is, the guy's crazy. There's no method to him. All he is, is a greedy, power-hungry psychopath. You can't use reason with him. Nothing is logical. That's what I told the agent I talked with in Cali. Don't trust _anything_. He's nuts! He's the kinda psycho that booby-traps everything, laces his shit… I've seen him maybe four times while I was with the Blades, and the last time, he shot this kid Kid came running into him asking for help because he was afraid the police knew that he was the one to off this guy Jefe has just sent him after. What does the bastard do? He shoots him. So the kid has blood squirting out of his shoulder from where El Jefe had just, ya know, shot him, and El Jefe told him he had better have the blood cleaned up by the time he got back, and walked out of the room. We all pulled the guy out a window and we booked it. Dropped him off in front of the hospital, and that's when I tried to step away from it all. Obviously, that wasn't so easy."

"Well, they took you to heart, because they have the bomb squad setting up surveillance, and helicopters with thermal imaging cams will be surrounding each location before the raids to know what to expect."

"I wish 'em luck, man. I really do. He's a sick, crazy bastard, and I hope he rots in hell."

They discussed what the raids were going to be like and when, and then Dorneget took Shane back to the apartment while the guys finished up their reports.

At noon, Tony messaged Tim.

TDiNozzo01 _: Hey, you finished with your report yet?_

TMcGee02: _Yeah, just turned it in. Why?_

TDiNozzo01: _I have something really important I need to do, and I need you to go with me. Gibbs already said I could steal you for an hour._

TMcGee02 _: Thank, God, because I have something I have to talk to you about- Abby related._

TDiNozzo01: _Okay, let's go_.

Tony sent his team on lunch, and then he headed towards the elevator, making sure he had his wallet. They met silently at the lift, and when they found themselves were the only ones on it, Tony couldn't believe his luck. He flipped the switch and turned to Tim.

"Where are we going?" Tim asked, looking at him curiously.

"You're helping me pick out an engagement ring."

"What?!" Tim squeaked out, unable to believe that he had just heard those words leave Tony's mouth. "A what?" He tried again, still just as squeaky.

"I'm going to ask Jethro to marry me."

Tim reached out and pulled Tony into a bro hug. "That's great, Tony! That's great!"

Tony hugged him back, laughing. "Yeah! I'm surprised Abby didn't tell you last night."

"Well, I ended up having to go back to my place last night, so I just stayed there. Wait- Abby knew? That explains what I heard her saying…" Tim looked confused a moment, and Tony waited for an explanation. He looked at the nervous expression on Tim's face, and he crossed his arms.

Tim took a deep breath. "I asked Abby to move in with me this morning."

"Whoa, what?" Tony said in just as much disbelief as Tim was a moment before.

"Yeah. We both had miserable nights without each other last night, and this morning, I caught her talking to Bert about how she wasn't ready for marriage, but she didn't like being away from me, and I knew exactly what she meant. I'm not ready for the ring and stuff yet, I mean, it's Abby, she changes her mind like you change shoes, but I felt the same horrible emptiness last night that she did. I don't want to come home to an empty house at night anymore. I don't want to have to worry about whether or not we're going to trip over all of the crap in my tiny apartment, or if she is going to have to get up to walk me to the door at night to deadbolt it behind me when I get called out. We ju-"

Tony cut him off. "And she said?"

"Three months. When we hit three months, we'll start looking for a place. I think she just needed something tangible, a number, something sensible to cling to in the sudden random proposition. At first, she was all excited, and happy, then she, ya know, freaked out a little, and came up with the three month idea. I'll take it, but the next three months are going to seem like an eternity."

Tony smiled at Tim and shook his head, flipping the switch to the elevator. "We just might be two of the craziest people on the planet."

"Maybe, but we're two of the happiest people on the planet, so I think that makes up for it!" Tim said, stepping from the elevator as it landed on the garage floor. "Come on, let's go pick out a ring!"

Tony followed Tim to his car, and they drove to a place Tony knew. They got out and went inside to look around. Tony talked to the lady behind the counter, explaining what he was looking for. She smiled brightly at him when he told her, and he was glad to know that she was friendly to the idea of him buying another man a ring. It made the whole process go a lot smoother.

Tim stood next to Tony and looked over the case with him.

"I think he's kind of a plain band guy," Tim commented as they browsed some of the more ornate selections. "Nothing fancy."

"I'm thinking so too, but I don't want anything really smooth, you know? He's going to scratch it up in the basement, so it should have some kind of a design to it."

"What about something like this?" Tim asked, pointing to a gold band with three lines etched into it.

"Has to be white gold, or maybe platinum," Tony stated matter-of-factly.

Tim looked at him sideways with a cocked eyebrow, but shrugged and moved to the next case. The clerk excused herself to answer the phone, and Tony went to look next to Tim. They both suddenly saw the same ring, and looked at each other.

"That one," they both said at the same time. There was a simple band, thick but only about four millimeters tall, and the metal finish was brushed. It reminded Tony of the way the sanded wood of the boat and bench looked, and it made him smile. Tony looked down at it, and thought about how it would look on Jethro's hand, and it felt right. The clerk came back, and Tony told her his selection. She asked him what size he would need, and Tony thought about how Jethro's fingers were just a little more slender than his own, and told her the size down from his. She informed him that they had it in stock, and he looked at Tim with a grin.

"So when are you popping the question?" Tim asked.

"Sometime this week, before his dad comes to town for Easter."

"Wait? You're asking him in the next couple of days?"

"Tim, I think I'm going to ask him tonight!" Tony exclaimed, and he noticed the clerk smiling at them again.

"Tonight! Wha- have you told Abby yet?"

"That it's happening so soon? No, but she knows it's not going to be long. I'm going to stop in after work and tell her."

"We have to stop in before then, like when we get back."

The clerk interrupted their discussion, "If you would like to have it engraved, our specialist is actually here this afternoon, and his workload is light. I can put your order in and you can come by and pick it up by four. He's excellent. Some of his works are on display in this case over here." She led them down to a stand on the case where a series of rings with sayings inscribed in them were being shown. She took out a ring similar to the one Tony was getting, and handed it to him.

 _To have and to hold…_ was inscribed on the inner edge, and Tony smiled. He thought about his discussion with Jethro that morning, and suddenly, he knew what he wanted to put inside the ring.

"Do you have something to write with?" he asked her. She pulled out a notepad and a pen, and he wrote on it. She took the pad back and read it, looking up at Tony for an explanation.

"Non ho dubbio, solo l'amore. It's Italian for, I have no doubt, only love." Tim nodded, trying not to think too deeply about the meaning, feeling as if doing so was encroaching on private territory.

The clerk had her hand by her heart though, her eyes dreamy as she sighed happily. "This is why I enjoy my job, gentlemen! So sweet! Okay, I'll put in the order, and Claus should be here anytime now to start his work."

"You can have Abby sneak off to pick it up," Tim said.

"Ah! Great idea!" he turned to the clerk, handing her his card. "I need to make a note that my friend Abby Scuito will be picking up the ring this afternoon. She's kinda hard to mistake. She'll probably have pigtails… what was she wearing this morning, Tim?"

"She's in a white long sleeved tshirt with black writing, a black and white plaid mini-skirt, large black buckled platform boots, her black choker with the small silver spikes, and I thought I saw her long black wool coat hanging up in the office."

Both Tony and the clerk stared at him. He looked at them both and then addressed the clerk. "She's my girlfriend."

"I wish my boyfriend paid that much attention to what I wear," she said, shaking her head and smiling as she wrote down her information in a book. She handed Tony two copies of the receipt and his card back, and instructed him to give a copy to Abby so she could pick up the ring. He nodded and said thanks before they headed back to the Yard.

Telling Abby was an additional fifteen minutes on their lunch that Tony was pretty sure Gibbs would kill Tim for until he remembered that Gibbs had stopped by his desk that morning. That's when he realized that Gibbs must have talked to Abby before Tim asked her to move in with him. He thought about that while he worked on finishing his report throughout the day, and wondered what sparked that conversation.

When his report was finally finished, he looked at his watch. He had ten minutes before he had to meet with Vance again, so he opened up an IM window, and messaged Ziva.

TDiNozzo01: _I wanted you to know that I'm going to ask Gibbs to marry me!_

"What?!" Ziva said, suddenly on her feet and coming around the wall of the bullpen, startling Gibbs, Tony, and everyone else around them. She stopped in front of his desk and gestured with her hands. He grabbed the stuff he needed to take with him to the meeting with Vance, and motioned for her to follow him towards the office. Gibbs was looking at them with worried curiosity.

They rounded the railing at the top of the steps and stepped into the conference room next to MTAC. As soon as the door closed behind them, Ziva started talking.

"You are asking him to marry you? Tony! You have only been together three weeks. Are you sure that is wise?"

Tony smiled at her. "Zee, there isn't a single doubt in my mind that we are meant to be together, and _stay_ together. I haven't thought about marriage since Wendy, and this feels so much better than that. There's no fear, no worry, no hesitation. We've known each other for a long time, and we waited _so_ long to get together. This isn't rushing it, it's catching up with it."

Ziva looked at Tony for a long moment as she searched for any of the signs she had learned over the years to mean that Tony was holding something back, and when she found none, nodded. She broke out into a smile, and reached to hug him.

"I am really glad you are so happy, my friend." Tony squeezed her back, relieved that she was supportive of the idea.

"I am. I hope you will one day be this happy, Zee. It's…" He stepped back out of the hug. "There is nothing in the world like it."

"Maybe I will," she said with a shrug. She smiled at his joy, and tried not to think about the chances of ever finding such pure happiness. She was getting to the point where she didn't know if it was even possible for her.

"Have to go. Meeting with Vance. Abby is picking up the ring right now. Wish me luck!" He opened the door and headed down the hall, casting a glance over the balcony at his team and his lover. _My soon to be fiancé,_ he corrected himself mentally as he made his way into Vance's office. _At least, I hope so._

x-x-x-x

An hour later, Tony came back downstairs with much lighter arms than he had going up. He had dropped off his signed copy of the contract, the classified file to have couriered back to the FBI, and Dorneget's file. He was exhausted mentally at trying to hold back Vance's constant encouragement to make plans to get involved with the FBI's case with El Jefe, opting to remain as far from it as possible to keep his team safe. Vance kept opening the door, and inviting discussion on the topic, and the narc cop within yearned to get as tangled in the case as possible, but he had learned from watching Gibbs' cartel situation that you had to choose your battles, and unless he was tagged to get in the ring, he wasn't offering. They still had Melinda Stafford's videos to keep them company that week, and it was much safer than tangling with a cartel boss that had his own gang of violent street thugs at his beck and call.

He plopped down in his desk and saw the two file folders sitting there holding the reports for his team. He had told them that if he wasn't back by five, they could go as long as their reports were finished. He figured that Gibbs had done the same with McGee and Ziva because none of them were anywhere to be found.

Tony pulled out his phone and saw the text from Abby. He slid the reports into his backpack and ran for the staircase. He took them two at a time and hopped the last four before creaking the door open to the hallway. He heard Abby's music playing in her lab, though it was turned significantly down compared to normal. He crept towards the doorway to make sure she wasn't getting a visit from Gibbs, and found her and Tim standing at the evidence table, looking at the ring together.

"Hey! How did it turn out?" He poked his head between them, wedging in and taking it from them to examine. "Turned out great, didn't it?" he asked, suddenly in awe of what he was holding. Both of them looked from Tony's expression to each other, then smiled.

"So, how are you going to do it?" Abby asked, motioning for the three of them to go back into her office so they could close the door in case Gibbs decided to stop in.

"I'm not really sure. I'm going to play it by ear. Never really been so great on the planning, but I do pretty well with spur of the moment, so we'll see how it all turns out."

"As long as he says yes, I think it doesn't matter," Tim said, looking at the ring in the box as Tony stared at it again.

"He will!" Abby said. "How could he not?"

"I think I'm going to start by getting him to go to dinner with me. I just signed my contract for the Supervisory Agent position, and I think we might need to go celebrate!" Tony closed the small box and slid it into his pocket. His hand remained wrapped around it though as he fingered the soft blue leather.

"That sounds good! Are you going to get down on one knee in the restaurant or something?" Abby asked, jumping and giddy. Tim watched her every move, listening to her suggestions with rapt attention.

"I don't think out in public suits either of us, Abs. I think this has to be something between just he and I." At that moment, his phone rang, startling him. He reached into his pocket and saw Gibbs' icon on the screen. "It's him! Wish me luck!"

Both of his friends gave him gestures of luck and he answered the phone, leaving the office.

" _Verrrrrry_ Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo at your service!"

He heard Gibbs snicker on the other end of the line. "Isn't that _Supervisory_ Agent now? And where are you?"

"Coming up from the lab. Had to talk to Abby. Wanna go get some dinner to celebrate?" Tony got into the elevator and pressed the button for the bullpen.

"You mean turning your contract in?" Gibbs asked.

"Yup! That and making it through the past couple of weeks alive!" The elevator doors opened and Tony emerged from it, watching Gibbs talk to him on the phone as he approached his desk.

"Yeah, sounds good. Where do you wanna go?"

Tony hung up his phone and hung over the wall between his desk and Jethro's. "Doesn't matter. What are you in the mood for?"

Gibbs sat his phone down on his desk, turning to look up at Tony. "All sorts of things, but for dinner, I'm kinda torn between steak and pasta."

Tony smiled. "The steak at Cassimiro's is actually pretty good, and you get pasta with it."

Gibbs chuckled. "We could do that.'

Tony looked down at himself. "Can we run home and change?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Sure. You ready to go?"

"Ten, maybe fifteen minutes. Gotta go over these and make sure that the guys made the changes we talked about, and then sign 'em and run them upstairs." Tony was already sitting at his desk, flipping through the folders for the changes.

"Okay. I'm going to run down and check on Abby. Haven't had a chance since our talk this morning, and I probably should."

Tony's head snapped up, and he turned around.

"Be careful! She and McGee talked about something huge this morning, and she's, ya know, a little…"

Gibbs winced. "Yeah." Gibbs headed for the staircase, and Tony grabbed his phone, dialing Abby's immediately.

"Hey, Tony. What's up?" Abby asked as she answered.

"Gibbs is coming to talk to you!" he said in a panic. "Careful! Don't give it away!"

Abby looked at Tim and panicked just as much. She had managed not to tell Tony about Gibbs' dreams of marriage, but she wasn't sure she could keep from telling Gibbs about Tony's.

"Timmy, we gotta go!" Abby said, hanging up on Tony. Tony smiled and went back to flipping through his files. He saw all of the areas changed that he had gone over with Parke and Critten, and grabbed the files to drop off with Vance. His own was added to the mix from his drawer, and he found his way to the Director's door.

He knocked once and stuck his head in, getting the wave in by Vance who was pouring through folders on his desk. He dropped his stack down to go with them, and cleared his throat. Vance looked up. He wasn't sure why he felt compelled to keep the other man in the loop, but something inside told him that it was important to. He pulled out the box from his pocket. Vance sat up and smiled.

"You know, I was wondering if you'd follow through with it. Guess that means you are?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah. Tonight."

Vance's head went back on his neck, his chin tucking in, and he blinked. "Tonight?"

Tony nodded and smiled, handing the ring over for inspection. Vance reached up and took it, looking at it closely. He nodded his approval, then asked what the inscription was.

Tony smiled, feeling suddenly shy. "It means, I have no doubt, only love."

"That shows, what with changing your entire life around over the past couple of weeks for him, and of course, now this."

"I've been changing my life around for him since I met him," Tony said, taking the ring back as Vance held it out.

"The two of you met in Baltimore, right?" Vance asked, leaning back in his chair, fingertips together in a pyramid.

"Yeah. I arrested him. Messy case," Tony said, staring at the ring and drifting back in his mind to the discovery that Danny was dirty. "Revealing and messy. Told Jethro I was leaving the department, and he pointed me to HR. A few months later and my engagement was called off."

"You knew then?" Vance asked gently, trying not to spook Tony out of his memory.

"I knew a lot of things then, but I didn't know that Wendy would call it all off. She knew when she was here that I was in love with someone, but she assumed it was Ziva." He chuckled lightly and ran his finger over the ring, then closed the box and put it in his pocket with a smile. He looked up, his eyes meeting Vance's. "No doubt whatsoever."

Vance nodded once at him. "When I proposed to Jackie, the only doubts I had was whether or not she was going to say yes. She knew what she was signing up for, knew where I wanted to go, even if I didn't. I didn't care about moving a moment further in my life though if I wasn't going to move forward with her at my side. We've been together fifteen years, and I wouldn't change a damned thing. I hope to see a fiftieth with her. Can't imagine life without her. I know this might sound crazy, but I think I understand you better now that I know you and Gibbs are together. I understand your working dynamics and your reliance on each other now, your loyalty to one another."

Tony stared at him with his head tilted to the side just a little, trying to understand how this conversation came to be when three weeks prior he wouldn't have even been standing in Vance's office like this.

"Do you know how much he pushed me to bring you back from Agent Afloat?"

Tony blinked hard in surprise, which made Vance smirk.

"He was riding my ass for months. I thought it was just because I'd separated you all and taken his team away. By that fourth month, I knew it wasn't that he had no control over it all that was making him so angry. He cares about you all, very much. You though, were the missing piece. He _needs_ you, Tony."

Tony sat down in the chair he preferred to sit in across from the desk. He wasn't sure why, but the idea of Gibbs being without him while he was agent afloat had him suddenly depressed, angry and extremely defensive.

"I was hoping when I offered you the Maine position in the fall, he wouldn't put up as much of a fight as he did then, but I figured he would. I also knew that you wouldn't take it, and knowing what I know now, I understand why. You need him just as much."

Tony cleared his throat, and the words he spoke came out in a voice much more passionate than he intended.

"These people are _my_ family, Director. They are my hopefully future husband, my brother, my sisters… hell, even Ducky is like that weird uncle, and Palmer like a cousin. They mean everything to me, and there's not a _damn_ thing I wouldn't do for them. I'll never be a father, but I have Parke, and Critten, and probably even Dorneget to raise in my own way. Being without them on that ship was the worse four months of my life. I won't be going anywhere, because yeah, I do need Jethro. And I need Tim, and Ziva, and Abby, Ducky, Jimmy… I _need_ them."

Vance looked Tony in the eye, understanding that this was something that the younger agent needed to say, and tried to take it to heart as another man, not as his boss, but he couldn't help feel the blame behind those words.

"You put in the contract that I'll one day replace Gibbs. If he retires, yeah, I probably will, but right now? If he were to be killed in duty, as soon as we take out his murderer, you'll have to replace all of us. There's no way I'd be able to do this anymore without him. Without either of us? Well, let me just say that this crew needs _each other._ " Tony got to his feet.

"You've been trying to copy the MCRT for years, to mold another one just like us." Tony shook his head and smiled at Vance's surprised reaction at being busted. "I've seen it happening in some of the other offices, heard through the grapevine about what happened in New Orleans, but let me give you the answer you've been looking for. Our pasts have made our present relationships critical to one another. Without them, we're merely talented. It's when you bring us _together_ that we're powerful. The likelihood of you ever being able to duplicate it is nil. Parke and Critten? They're simply being brought into the family. There's two levels here: one is the work level, and one is the personal level. You're starting to play on both levels. That has infinite privileges, but it also has serious responsibilities. Be careful with my family, Leon."

Vance sat perfectly still for a long moment, staring Tony in the eyes as he tried to come to terms with the fact that the almost frightening man in front of them was just a goofy, skirt-chasing jock to him a few weeks ago. He finally gave Tony a nod, and watched as the younger man strode out of the room.

The door closed with a clack, and he let out the breath he was holding. When he had walked into the lab the week before to find the team standing around talking, he had recognized them as a family. He tried to keep DiNozzo's reaction to the memory of being Agent Afloat in that kind of perspective. If someone tried to separate him from Jackie and the kids, he would have been just as furious, if not more.

He remembered watching DiNozzo tell the team that he was reassigned to D.C. after coming back from the case that reunited them. It was as touching as watching a family reunited, and he would never forget the look on Gibbs' face when he found out that his agent was back where he belonged. It was the first time he had seen him smile since he'd separated the team. He'd been planning on bringing DiNozzo back once his six months were up, but he couldn't keep them hanging on like that.

Now here they were, years later, and he had just been _warned_ by his newest Supervisory Agent.

 _No, that's not true. I was warned by Anthony DiNozzo, not Agent DiNozzo. I was warned by the leader of the pack not to mess with the pups._ That's when he realized what else was being said in Tony's lecture- _he_ was now one of the pack. Somehow, he had been brought into the family as well, and something inside of him realized that made up for everything.


	34. Chapter 34

Tony wasn't sure whether or not he had crossed a line in what he had said to Vance, but he felt right saying it. He needed to let him know that if he was going to be a part of the family, if he was going to interject himself, and accept the bits and pieces of their personal lives that Tony was offering him, then there were responsibilities that went along with that. The first of those responsibilities being that he needed to continue his measures to make sure the people he cared about weren't separated again.

He'd certainly surprised himself. He knew that he still harbored some resentment for being sent afloat, but he felt like he had finally gotten that off of his chest just now. He leaned over the railing outside of the office and watched Gibbs tinkering around with a file at his desk. With no one else around, the man let his guard down just a smidge, and Tony wondered if Gibbs even knew he was doing it. He continued to watch the set in his lover's back and shoulders as he came down the steps, watching and waiting for that moment when Gibbs heard or felt that he wasn't alone any longer.

He knew the exact second it happened because Gibbs' back straightened again, and his shoulders squared perfectly. When he turned his head and realized it was Tony coming downstairs though, his shoulders sagged comfortably, and he leaned forward on his desk just a little. Tony noted how Jethro let his guard down ten times more when he was around than when he thought he was alone, and Tony felt the trust that meant was placed in his hands. It made him smile, and any possible regrets he had about his discussion with Vance were gone.

"You ready?" Tony asked, going to his side of the bullpen to grab his coat and backpack.

"Yup. Casimiro's?"

"Home first," Tony said. "I really want a quick shower more than anything." They both headed for the elevator. "How was your talk with Abby?" he asked, fishing for information about Abby's ability to keep his secret.

"I didn't get to talk to her really. I went down to the lab and she and McGee were hustling out like the place was on fire."

Tony couldn't contain his snickering. He hoped that Gibbs would suspect he was laughing at the idea that they were running off to have sex, and was prepared with a joke if needed, which thankfully wasn't.

"What's going on with them?" Gibbs asked him as they descended towards the level of the garage they parked on.

"Tim asked Abby if they should live together," Tony said, hoping that he wasn't spilling too much.

"She said this morning that she wasn't quite ready for that. How did McGee take the news?"

Tony was surprised that Gibbs would tell him something like that. "Well, she said yes. In three months."

"Yeah, I could see that. She loves him, but she's hanging on to this idea that she's never been one for the serious, long-term kinda thing in the past, and she's worried that one day she's gonna wake up and not want it after-all."

"You don't seem too worried about that being the case," Tony suggested as they got into the car.

"Nah. She's just as crazy about McGee as McGee is about her. She just needs to get over her doubts, and having a timeline will help her. That's how her brain works."

Tony thought about that. "That's not how her heart works though. Probie's right- these next three months are going to be unbearable for them both."

He saw the grin Jethro gave him, and then felt the hand land on his lap. He wrapped his own in it snugly, and they drove home discussing nothing important for once. They joked around about Jethro's ancient television being booted to the basement once the flat screen made its way into the house, and they debated whether or not to keep both couches in the living room. They steered clear of the harder stuff. There was no mention of Jackson's visit, no discussion on cleaning out Kelly's old room, and they didn't talk about the case. It was lighthearted and felt like what normal was supposed to feel like for a couple coming home from work. Tony didn't realize how nice it would feel to just be together without all of the baggage. He was even able to stop thinking about the proposal.

They got home and Tony ran upstairs to shower and change while Jethro went through the mail.

Tony got into the bedroom, and didn't know where to stick the ring so that Jethro wouldn't find it before he got out of the shower. He finally decided that he'd grab the clothes he wanted to wear and stick the ring into the pocket of the pants. He picked out his favorite black slacks, and a dark green button down shirt. He knew he'd throw his black jacket over it when all was said and done. He hung the clothes up in the bathroom on the back of the door so that they wouldn't have a chance of being in the way of Jethro if he came in to get something.

He turned the water on and then stripped down, hopping underneath it and letting it drench him through and through. He was rinsing the soap out of his hair when he started thinking about all of the things people do to propose. He thought about the traditional asking the parents, talking it over with one's own parents, and all of the planning. None of that was necessary in his situation. Jackson's say wouldn't influence Jethro in any way, and his own father's opinion didn't matter to him at all about anything. He suddenly stopped soaping his body as he thought about his mom.

"You'd love him, Mom," he whispered to himself, swallowing hard. "You'd love everything about him."

Despite the knot in his throat, he sighed contently knowing that was the truth, and finished cleaning himself. He got out, dried off, and brushed his teeth before putting his clothes on. He finally got his hair _just_ right, and then he heard the sounds of his lover moving around in the next room. When he came out, he found that Jethro had changed as well. He was now in black pants and a gray shirt, and Tony whistled at him as he buttoned his slacks over the tucked in shirt.

"Getting dressed up on my account?" Tony asked, coming over for a quick kiss.

Jethro gave him a sideways grin in the mirror in front of him and shook his head as he slid a black belt through the loops at his waist.

"Oh, there's no denying it! You look sexy as hell, and you know it is going to drive me crazy all night." Tony slipped the jacket on over his shirt, and stood next to Jethro so he could check himself in the mirror.

"You're wearing green tonight," Jethro said with a smile as they stared at each other in the mirror adjusting their clothes.

Tony thought back to their conversation as they left the bar on Saint Patrick's about how he intentionally hadn't worn green to protest, and then Jethro complimenting him on his eyes. He swallowed hard and then cleared his throat.

"Well, I know you prefer me in green."

"Yeah, you know, if you _have_ to be wearing clothes, green is nice. Brings out your eyes, and I love your eyes."

Tony froze, smiling brightly and watching as his cheeks turned red in the mirror. Jethro turned to Tony and pulled him towards him by the jacket, one hand on each side of the lapel. Their lips met and Jethro demanded entrance to Tony's mouth which he willingly gave. Tony moaned into the kiss and wondered if they were going to make it to dinner after all. He gasped as the kiss suddenly ended, Jethro pulling back abruptly, catching his own breath.

"Dinner first, but then-" he gasped again. "Then, we're picking up right where that left off."

Tony nodded, standing there winded. He wondered if they would always be able to take one another's breath away with a simple kiss, and he smiled as he realized that there was a good chance that he would have the rest of his life to find out. His hand instinctively reached into his pocket and felt the box that the ring was in. He turned and headed for the hallway, needing to put some space between him and Jethro.

"See you downstairs in a few," he called over his shoulder.

"I'm right behind you," Jethro called back, closing a drawer he had just pulled socks out of.

Ten minutes later and they were back on the road and heading for Casimiro's. Jethro was dreaming of a good steak and some fettuccini while Tony was thinking of a million opportunities he might have to ask the question, and none of them felt right. He decided to stick to his plan and just play it by ear. He believed that he would know when the moment was right, and if it didn't feel right, then it wasn't, and he would listen to that gut instinct.

This was the most important question he'd ever asked anyone in his entire life. It was more important than any question in any interrogation, and it was the most important question he'd ever asked a lover without a doubt. He tried to let it go, and joked with Jethro about how Marcella was going to stalk them the entire time they were there.

"How did you two meet, anyway?" he asked Tony, kind of worried about the response he'd get.

"I actually went there to meet a date that didn't show, and she and I ended up talking. I'd been in there a few times with another woman, and she'd always been very friendly, but _only_ friendly. She's strictly into women, so no, the answer to your question is I've never slept with her." He smiled at Jethro, and squeezed the hand in his lap.

Jethro smiled and shrugged a little, but didn't meet Tony's gaze. He thought about the last time they had gone to dinner there with the group of people from the op, and he remembered standing there like an idiot while Tony talked in Italian with Marcella, unable to look away. He loved listening to Tony talk in Italian, and he found that just as surprising as everything else about their relationship. He had never felt that chill and attraction when he heard Stephanie speak Russian or when Jen spoke in French. Something about Tony slipping into the language as if though it was natural for him raised his temperature a couple of degrees. He suddenly found himself lost in a fantasy of Tony talking to him in Italian in bed, and he stifled a groan. Tony looked at him curiously.

"You okay over there?" Tony asked somewhat playfully.

"Yup. Fine," Jethro answered, pulling into a spot that had just opened up less than a block from the restaurant.

Tony looked him over from head to toe to find out what the issue was, and he smirked when he realized that they should probably wait a minute before getting out of the car.

"What was it?" Tony asked with a cocky smile, prodding Jethro playfully until he turned into him and stole another deep kiss.

When they finally parted a long minute later, Jethro whispered in Tony's ear, "If you're good, I'll tell you later."

Tony shivered at the way Jethro's breath tickled his ear, and the way his husky voice made his cock twitch.

"Oh, I'll be _very_ good," he whispered back.

"Yeah, I know you will." Jethro got out of the car smoothly, leaving Tony there to take a deep breath before getting out himself.

When Tony stepped to Jethro's side, he was surprised to find Jethro's hand taking his. He smiled at Tony's expression, and he looked down at their hands.

"You're not the only one who's not ashamed of us, Tony. It's never been about shame, just worry."

Tony nodded his understanding, and squeezed Jethro's hand. "Love you, Jethro."

"Love you, too, Tony."

As they walked into the restaurant together, Marcella saw them and came bustling over.

"Tony!" she exclaimed as she threw an arm around him and kissed his cheek.

"Marcella! Come stai?"

"Bene! Bene. Affari è stato buono, così la vita è buona. Sembra che le cose stanno andando bene con Gibbs?" _(Good! Good. Business has been good, so life is good. Looks like things are going well with Gibbs?)_ She smiled shyly up at the older man, knowing that there was no mistaking hearing his name.

"Yes. Jethro, you remember Marcella."

"Of course. How are you?"

"Good! I was just telling Tony that business has been well, so I am well. You?"

Jethro smiled at Tony. "I'd say we're doing pretty well." Tony smiled back at him and then at Marcella. The hostess came back from seating the couple in line before them, and Marcella grabbed Tony's arm in a gentle squeeze.

"Sarò da controllare su lei in un mentre. Buon appetite!" _(I will be by to check on you in a while. Enjoy your meal!)_

Tony nodded his thanks, and Marcella said something quietly to the hostess who smiled and nodded before leading them to a table in a back corner where the lighting was romantic and the surroundings blissfully quiet. They sat at seats next to each other rather than across from one another, and their knees rested comfortably against each other. Tony opened the menu and started reading off a few things under his breath, and Jethro stared at him in a fog, listening to words that he had no idea the translation of being whispered carelessly from tempting lips.

Tony looked up and saw the heated stare he was getting. "What?" he asked almost sheepishly.

Jethro leaned forward and whispered in Tony's ear. "That's what I was thinking of."

Tony was puzzled for a moment, but then it hit him what he had been doing, and he smirked at Jethro. "Oh, really?" He looked into the blue eyes that stared back at him, not faltering at all. "I'll remember that."

"I hope you do."

"You told me, so I guess I'm being good?" Tony said quietly, leaning in towards Jethro, staring at his lips.

Jethro leaned back into Tony's ear. "Tony, you're always good. Even when you're being _very_ bad, you're good."

The waitress came by for their drink orders, and Tony felt himself burning from head to toe as he ordered some kind of wine that Jethro wasn't listening to. When the waitress asked Jethro for his drink order, he opted for coffee and water, staying away from alcohol for the time being.

The waitress went to put their drink order in, and Tony stared back into Jethro's eyes as they searched him. He wasn't sure what Jethro was looking for, but he left himself open, laying everything out for his lover to see. When it seemed that Jethro had gotten the answer he was looking for, he finally looked away and down at the menu with a small smile on his face.

Tony already knew what he was going to order, so he watched as Jethro pulled his reading glasses out of his pocket to look over his choices. He thought about how he had very slyly slipped Jethro his glasses the last time they were here together without the rest of the group around them picking up on it. They'd always worked so well together, two pieces of a whole, and as he realized that was true for not only the big things but the little things, he fingered the box in his pocket.

The waitress took their orders, and the two men settled down to talk, both leaning on the table so that they could talk quietly.

"How did today go with Dorneget?" Jethro asked, sipping on his coffee.

"Not bad, at least I haven't heard anything from Parke about any mishaps. He's going to check in with me in the morning before heading over to the apartment. He seemed pretty surprised that he was going to be included as much as he was, and it showed. He was stiff, but he was focused. Time will tell."

Jethro nodded.

"How do you really feel about Abby and McGee being together?" Tony asked, sipping his wine.

Jethro smiled. "I think it's good. A year ago, I wouldn't have been so sure. Abby seems to be looking for something more stable though, so if anyone was going to fill that position, I'm glad it's McGee. They both deserve to be happy, and I trust them with each other."

Tony smiled and sipped his wine.

Jethro continued. "I know that if Abby would have said she wanted to wait a year, or ten years, McGee would have been okay with that and not pushed. Hell, he's waited this long."

"Not quite as long as we have, but yeah, it's been a while." Tony smiled into his wine and then his eyes met Jethro's.

"We were dumbasses for waiting so long."

Tony shook his head, still smiling. "Everything happened as it was supposed to. I never really believed in that, but this feels right now in a way that I don't think it would feel if we would have given in earlier. I think it was all supposed to unfold just like this."

"Maybe, but I still think we were dumbasses."

Tony laughed, then leaned in a little closer so that he was almost whispering in Jethro's ear. "Sono contento che è successo finalmente. Ed ora che lei è il mio, non la lascio mai va." _(I'm glad it's finally happened. And now that you're mine, I'm never letting you go.)_ Tony took Jethro's hand on the top of the table, entwining his fingers with Jethro's own pliable digits, and watched as his lover's eyes closed and his breathing hitched. He stared back at the hand in his own. "Non posso attendere di avere questi sul mio corpo dopo." _(I can't wait to have these on my body later.)_

"You're absolutely evil," Jethro growled, making Tony smirk.

"You're the one that let me know what it does to you. Now you have to suffer the consequences."

"Just remember that your actions will have consequences as well," Jethro warned.

Tony leaned in and whispered into Jethro's ear, which turned to receive his words eagerly. "I'm counting on it."

The waitress came by a few minutes later to deliver the fried raviolis and calamari that Tony had ordered for an appetizer. They ate and talked about lighthearted stuff. Tony mentioned something about the calamari and Jethro approved of the ravioli. Their food came and they ate casting heated glares at one another, both anxious to get home and take out the brewing tension between them on each other. They were staring intently at one another, talking softly in each other's ear at every opportunity until finally they ignored their food to just whisper back and forth, the discussion becoming as heated as their stares.

Tony caught Marcella staring at them from across the room, giving them space instead of stopping by to chat like she had said she would. She saluted him with a glass of red wine she was sipping on, and he raised his own at her. A moment later and she was being stolen by her hostess.

Jethro watched the exchange. "How long has she known?"

Tony smiled and lifted his glass to his lips. "Since that night I got stood up."

Jethro raised an eyebrow at him.

"Good wine and good conversation does weird things to a guy!" He shrugged. "I wasn't too upset about being stood up, and she wondered why, and it just kinda came out."

Jethro nodded, popping another piece of ravioli into his mouth.

"I'm stuffed," Tony announced. "I think I might need some time curled up by the fire to let this all digest."

Jethro took the last drink of his coffee and smiled. "I think I could handle that myself."

Their waitress brought their check, and Tony tried to pull his debit card out.

"This one's on me. We're celebrating after all," Jethro said, grabbing the black leather-bound folder.

"Thanks!" Tony said with a smile, reaching out and grabbing Jethro's hand again as the waitress walked away with the folder.

"You ready to go?" Jethro asked.

"You know it!"

As soon as the waitress was back with their card and Jethro signed the receipt, they were on their feet and headed for the door hand in hand. Tony realized Marcella wasn't at the door and looked around. She was staring at them as they left, and when Tony's eyes met hers, she winked at him with a broad smile. He chuckled and shook his head, walking out the door with Jethro in tow. Hand in hand they walked towards the car, but Tony pulled Jethro past it.

Jethro looked at Tony with a curious expression, but followed his lead. They walked silently, hands clasped, through the city about six blocks. It was chilly, but not as icy cold as it had been. They ended up in the park, and Tony felt a certain kind of magic in the air. He knew that he was getting closer and closer to the moment that he was going to ask the question, and yet, like so many things with Jethro, it made him calmer. He was caught up in the perfection of their walk, the way their hands were warm against one another, and how they didn't have to say anything to keep such incredible company.

They got to the wall that looked out over the river, and Tony stopped. Jethro stopped too, turning to look at Tony with a peaceful smile on his face that told Tony just how much he was loved. It was a smile reserved just for him, and he felt warmed inside and out by it.

"Jethro, you know that you mean everything to me, right?"

Jethro's heart stopped, but the smile on Tony's face reassured him that whatever Tony's point was, it wasn't going to be a bad thing. He nodded. "You mean the world to me, too, Tony."

"I never thought I'd be able to have this. I don't know if I felt like I didn't deserve it, or that we'd never get around to opening up to the possibility that we're supposed to be together, or that I'd just never find it with anybody else, when you are who I have wanted for so long." His green eyes were locked on shining blue ones that never stopped conveying their love and happiness as they stood there.

"I didn't think forever was possible. I didn't think I wanted it. I thought that people who believed in it were crazy, and unrealistic, but I know so much better than that now. I have no doubts in us, Jethro. I believe in us, and in what we have, and I believe that we're going to last- we're going to make it. It may not be easy, and it may not always be pleasant, but I think that at the end, we aren't going to part because of stupid arguments or misunderstandings, or a stack of tedious nitpickings. I understand the "until death do us part" concept now."

Tony reached into his pocket and pulled out the little blue box. He looked up at Jethro, their other hands still joined, and saw the shocked grin come over his lover.

"Jethro, we've been through so much together, and I want to go through so much more. I want to wake up every single day of my life with you next to me, and when we can't be together, I want to lie awake at night worrying about you and wishing you were there. I want to ask our family and friends to support us on this journey, because I know that it's not going to be easy, but with their love there to back us, and their wisdom to remind us where we put our heads when they've wandered too far from our hearts, I know without a doubt that we will make it. I want to promise my life to you, from now until the moment where one of us loses the other, and then some. I love you, Jethro. You make everything that's ever gone wrong in my life right, and you've made up for every moment that I've ever felt unloved. I want to give that love back to you, and I have no doubts that we belong together. Will you make that promise with me? Will you marry me?"

Tony found himself in a tight embrace as he was devoured in a life changing kiss that he knew could only mean "yes". They stood on the sidewalk of the overlook, holding one another and locked in their kiss for what seemed like hours. Neither of them had any idea how long it had actually been when they finally stopped kissing, but Jethro still had Tony tightly wrapped in his arms.

"I'm never letting you go, Tony."

Tony sighed happily, holding onto his fiancé with just as much ferocity as he was being held. "I'm never letting you go either, Jethro, and I don't give a damn who knows. I need you."

"Tony, when things are going wrong, you're the one I want by my side, and when things are going right, you're the first person I want to go tell. _I_ need _you._ Only you. I can't make it without you now that I've had you. Now that you're in, I don't ever want to close you out. I'm sure there are times that I'll get my head stuck up my ass and do just that, but I'll be glad to ask our friends- our family- to stand by us as we take on this life together. I'd be proud to stand by your side while we do."

They finally pulled out of their embrace, and Tony handed Jethro the box with a smile. Jethro took it and opened it, smiling at Tony. "White gold?"

"Platinum actually," Tony shrugged. "It suits you."

"I love it," Jethro whispered, kissing Tony again gently.

Tony reached to take it from the box, and held it up to his fiancé so that he could see there were words inside. Jethro squint, looking at Tony for an explanation.

"Non ho dubbio, solo l'amore." He took Jethro's hand and placed the ring over his third finger, finding it to be a perfect fit. He smiled up at Jethro's shining eyes, and entwined their fingers. "I have no doubt, only love."

Jethro swallowed hard, thinking about their conversation that morning when they woke up. He'd had this little voice in his head for the past three weeks saying that one day, he was going to mess it all up and scare Tony away. He always messed it up by acting like an ass and shutting down. He would be the one asking Tony right now if he had trusted himself not to mess it up, and yet here was the man that had let him feel complete again, telling him that he had enough faith in them for the both of them.

"Don't let me mess it up, Tony. When… when I'm being an ass, call me on it. When I'm closing down, don't let me. Please, just… whatever you do, don't give up on me. I promise that I will _never_ stop trying, just don't give up on me."

Tony cupped Jethro's face with his hand. "Jethro, you're not going to mess this up. And I'm not them- you're mine, and I don't care what we have to do to get through, we're going to be just fine. I'm never letting you go, and I'm never giving up on _us_. We're in this together, me and you against the world. We've taken down terrorists, double agents, and lived through cases with our exes- I'm pretty sure we can take on loving one another for the rest of our lives. I mean, we've worked together for almost twelve years and we're only getting more and more attached, so I think we got this."

Tony watched the battle going on in Jethro's eyes. He leaned in and whispered Jethro's ear. "It's okay, Jethro. You can believe it. I won't let you mess it up. I've got you."

Jethro's hands came up to both sides of Tony's face, and his forehead fell against his fiancé's. He nodded, and he released a shaky exhale. "I do, Tony. I believe you."

Tony swallowed hard and nodded in return. "Good. Now take me home."

Jethro grabbed Tony's right hand with his left, and they started the walk back to their car. Tony looked down at the feeling of the cold metal band against his hand, and smiled. Jethro followed his gaze and smiled too.

"We'll have to get one for you, too."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, but you should pick it out for me."

"Can Abby help me?"

"By all means," Tony said with a snicker.

"Thank God. I'm crap at that kinda thing."

"Come on sexy, let's move it! I want to get you home and naked so that the only thing you're wearing is that ring!" Tony pulled Jethro along down the sidewalk, the older man chuckling.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" he said as he stumbled forward, trying to catch up with Tony's pace.

"Not yet, but trust me, you will be!"

"That's one thing that I'll never doubt," Jethro said, finally in stride with his eager lover.

They made it back to the car and Jethro tore off towards their house. Fifteen minutes later, they were pulling onto their street and into the driveway. They chased each other into the house, and as the door closed behind them, they grabbed each other and Tony was pushed against the wall as they started pulling one another's clothes off.

They were down to their pants by time they were able to make it to the staircase, and Jethro's hands were all over Tony's body, trying desperately to remember how to undo a belt so he could gain access. His mouth in the meantime was kissing his way down Tony's chest and nipping at his abs.

They made it up a few steps and Tony pushed Jethro's shoulders so that he had to sit down on the steps. He straddled him, giving Jethro his body to nibble and suck while he worked at their belts and pants. He lifted himself up for a moment to slide his pants down and saw that Jethro was managing to do the same.

Tony still didn't let Jethro stand up. He got right back onto his lap, moaning as their hard cocks brushed against one another. He began kissing him, taking his time and savoring each kiss as he rocked over his fiancé's lap, making him groan.

Jethro pulled Tony against him, his mouth making contact with Tony's collarbone and suckling up to his neck. Tony let his head fall forward so that Jethro could get at the spot under his ear that he loved having nipped, and moaned when the older man went right for it. Tony let his nails run down Jethro's back in response. He could feel the skin under his fingers on fire, and he felt his own flushed with the same intense heat. He ran his nails back up Jethro's back, his fingers splaying as they reached his shoulders and grabbing on tightly as Jethro bit down on his shoulder, marking him.

Tony gasped, letting the pain mingle with the pleasure, and his fingers did their best to crawl underneath Jethro's skin. He wanted nothing more than to do just that, and stay there forever. Words began rolling out of his mouth that he was unaware of, and Jethro groaned. Tony realized he had started whispering in Italian, begging for release, for some way to be closer to the man beneath him, and he was rewarded with a wet finger entering him. He groaned and whimpered as the barely slick finger worked its way into him, and he figured that Jethro must be using his own saliva.

Tony knew it wasn't going to be enough. He wanted to not care, but tonight was different, and he wanted to make sure nothing tainted the memory. Jethro's finger suddenly hit his prostate and he yelped.

"Fuck, Jethro! Bed! Now!"

Less than a minute later they were on their bed, and Jethro was lubing himself up while Tony got comfortable on his back. Jethro's sticky fingers began prodding Tony again, and this time Tony sighed in relief at the ease of it, and enjoyed every second of having his lover's fingers inside of him. They slid in and out, back and forth, circling and scissoring until finally he was begging to be stuffed.

"Please, Jethro! Need you! Fuck me!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Jethro removed his fingers and replaced them with his cock.

"Yes!" Tony hissed, arching up off the bed. His arms found themselves around the firm frame of the man above him, pulling him down on him as Jethro thrust in and out of him. They found each other's mouths and Tony reveled in the feeling of having Jethro inside of him in two ways, his tongue twisting and turning over his own in a possessive demanding way that left Tony floating on a wave of sensation, unable to tell where his body ended and Jethro's began.

There were fingers in hair, and sweaty skin against skin, body hair rubbing against one another in delicious friction, and hot breath blending together as pants and gasps became part of the kiss that they both refused to give up on. Tony thought he was going to lose his mind as the head of Jethro's dick rubbed over his prostate again and again. Tony's release shot through him like a bolt of lightning, tearing through all sense of reason and thoughts of warning Jethro. Jethro kept fucking his dazed body until he screamed with a roar that sounded inhuman, and collapsed on Tony, kissing him slowly.

The lazy kiss continued for twenty minutes as they came back down to earth, both savoring being in that dreamy place with one another as much as anything else they had just done. Jethro rolled over on his back, pulling Tony with him. Tony lay against Jethro's chest, playing with the little bit of hair he had there while Jethro's hand was carding through his hair. Tony could hear his fiancé's heart beat under his ear, and he decided it was his favorite sound in the world.

Finally, a long while later, Jethro broke the silence

"Oh, yeah. We can definitely do this."

Tony smiled and turned his head so his chin was propped on Jethro's chest, their eyes meeting.

"I knew you'd realize it sooner or later," he joked. "All it takes is amazing sex and some quality time to make anyone see the obvious."

Jethro chuckled softly and shook his head, but his eyes didn't leave Tony's. "That's all, huh?"

Tony nodded. "Yup. I'm sure there are other things that help facilitate it, but that's the basics." He turned and rested his ear against Jethro's chest again.

Jethro's voice was quiet as he ran his fingers through Tony's hair some more, his eyes on the ring on his finger as it slid between the locks. "Those other things include over a decade of reasons to trust you, the perfect sense of safety I feel with you, your warmth, humor, and lightheartedness, your dedication and passion for helping others, and the way you make me feel like I just might be worthy of what we have after all."

Tony had a joke on the tip of his tongue to respond with, but the words sunk in bone deep, and he couldn't make any response leave his mouth.

There was only one person in the world he had ever felt comfortable being his true self around, and it was the man underneath him. Jethro had been the one person over the years that had stood by him as he made mistake after mistake trying to figure out how to let that person out, and he was the one person that had bothered to see that there was someone under his skin worth seeing. All it took was finally having him in his life the way he needed him, and everything locked into place. Now he was a team lead, feeling confident enough in his position to put even the Director in his place, ready to take on a major cartel boss if needed, _engaged_ , and looking forward to a happily ever after he never thought he'd get.

"You let me be more, Jethro; so much more than I thought I'd ever get to be. You are my encouragement to be more, to do more, to live differently, and you always have been. Since the day I met you, I knew that you were going to play a huge role in my life, and now that I have you, I'm not letting you go. Your honesty, your integrity, your courage and determination, your compassion and heart… To put it simply, you're amazing, and I would be a fool if I didn't recognize how lucky I am to have you in my life, and hold on tightly to such a great man."

Jethro buried his face in Tony's hair and took a deep breath, trying to breathe in the goodness of his partner. He wanted to stay in that moment forever. He had always strived to be those things, and he knew that to some degree he had succeeded, but to be loved not despite them, but for them, because of them, was humbling.

He knew that Tony was raised in a way where those things didn't come naturally, yet he had managed to embody them himself, and that made the younger man in his arms an incredible anomaly. He was honored that Tony would consider him a part of his process to becoming who he was, because he loved the man he was now more than he'd loved anybody except Shannon, and though this love was different, it was just as strong, just as intense.

On the flip side, Tony had opened him up to start letting light back into his life, and not only light, but other people. He had let the team in more than he ever intended, but since getting together with Tony, he found that he was reaching out to them more and more not because he had to, but because he _wanted to._ He, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, _wanted_ to feel that emotional proximity again. He wanted to let them see what was going on with his life, because it was so wonderful that he felt it deserved to be witnessed. For years he had believed that showing these kinds of emotions was if not weak, awkward. Now, it was as if not sharing something so wonderful would be a great wrong-doing, a disservice to the joy that would make him unworthy of it.

"I'm going to spend the rest of my life letting you know how much you mean to me, Tony."

"Me, too, Jethro. Me, too."

They laid there together for a long time, the comfort of being so close to one another far outweighing the urge to do any kind of clean up that required leaving the bed. Jethro realized that Tony had fallen asleep, and he stared down at the younger man in his arms. He noticed that he too was growing deeper lines in his face, across his forehead and round his eyes. He smiled, thinking about how when he had met Tony, he couldn't find a line on him. They had definitely grown older together, and now they would grow old together.

Jethro ran his thumb across the ring over and over again on his finger. Shannon's ring was simple, and she was buried with it. His ring stayed on his finger for a while until it became harder to see, his heart breaking every time the light caught it and drew his attention to it. He loved that ring because she had picked it out for him. It was white gold, and so was hers. He knew that she didn't really like yellow gold, and she had always said that she wasn't going to wear something the rest of her life that she didn't like.

He wasn't sure why Tony had chosen a silver toned ring like platinum, but he preferred it himself. The other three wives all preferred yellow gold, and that's what he was stuck with, though he rarely wore his rings, saying that it was a hazard at work for the people they worked with to know he had a weak spot that could be used against him, or that he would constantly scratch it up working on whatever project he had going at the time. He thought of the words that rested against his finger, and he looked back at the man in his arms.

"No doubts, Tony. None at all."


	35. Chapter 35

Tony was brushing his teeth the next morning when Jethro came up behind him, wrapped his arms around him, and kissed his neck before resting his chin on his fiancé's shoulder. Tony smiled at him from around his toothbrush.

"'ey 'andsome," he said, foamy toothpaste trying to run out of his mouth. He bent over and spit in the sink. Jethro lifted his head to let Tony bend, but didn't let go of his grasp around Tony's waist. When he was done, Jethro still held on, and Tony's arms rested on his. They stared at each other in the mirror, both smiling and happy. "We going to tell everyone? You know Abby is going to call me any minute for the scoop."

Jethro chuckled. "Yeah. Tell her to gather everyone in the lab."

"Define everyone," Tony said, realizing the conundrum he was now faced with.

"My team," Jethro kissed Tony's neck. "Your team," he kissed him again, his lips reaching for Tony's ear. "Ducky and Palmer," he said before he nibbled on the ear lobe.

"That sounds awesome, _but_ there's a fly in the ointment."

Jethro still had Tony's ear in between his teeth as he looked at Tony in the mirror. Their eyes met, and Tony sighed.

"Dorneget."

Jethro let go of Tony's ear and winced. He rested his chin on Tony's shoulder again, watching his expression in the mirror.

"Yeah. I guess you have to decide what you want to do there." Jethro knew what _he_ would do, but he also knew that this one had to be Tony's call.

Tony wasn't sure. On one hand, yeah, he figured Dorneget would eventually end up being on his team, but he wasn't yet, and the kid was a talker. He chatted everyone up, often times saying things he had no business thinking, none the less saying.

"I know it's going to be rough to tell him later if he joins the team, but it's safer that way. He doesn't quite know how to…" Tony trailed off, trying to decide what word to use.

"Keep his mouth shut," Jethro supplied, going back to nibbling on Tony's ear, considering the decision made.

"I was going to say be discreet, but yeah, that." Tony closed his eyes as he felt Jethro's teeth nibbling on him and groaned. "You're starting something we do _not_ have time to finish."

Jethro shrugged. "Not right now at least," he whispered in Tony's ear. "We'll find time." He bit down gently on Tony's neck, suckling and licking. Tony groaned again and tried to pull away weakly. Jethro held him close, whispering in his ear. "I'm going to keep you on edge until we find that time, too. Keep you _right_ here on edge." He scraped his teeth across Tony's shoulder.

"Damn it, Jethro!" Tony gasped. "You're such an evil bastard! Shit!" He gasped again as Jethro ran his fingers under the edge of Tony's boxers, just barely grazing the base of his cock with teasing fingertips.

Jethro kissed him on the cheek with a smirk, and then let him go to walk out of the room. Tony leaned forward, holding on to the sink as he tried to get his breathing under control and find enough strength to stand on his own now that all of the blood in his legs had begun rushing upwards.

He glared at Jethro as he walked out of the room, then smiled and shook his head, looking at an obnoxiously happy man in the mirror in front of him. He saw the sparkle in his eyes shining back at him, and he felt the goose bumps prickling over every inch of his body in the sudden absence of the warmth of Jethro's body.

He looked towards the door for a moment, made up his mind, and strode into the bedroom, right up to Jethro, who had just pulled on his pants. He pushed him the three steps back to the wall, and kissed him hard, taking the wind out of the older man. Jethro returned the kiss passionately, his arms coming up and around Tony's neck. Tony ran his fingers down Jethro's naked chest, teasing his nipples, making him moan into the kiss. After exploring his chest, he wrapped his arms around Jethro's waist, pushed his pants back down, and grabbed his ass, a hand on each cheek. Jethro took a sharp inhale of breath as Tony jerked their groins together.

Tony looked down at the flushed face of his lover, then leaned in and whispered into Jethro's ear. "Now who's on edge?" Jethro's eyes flicked open, looking into Tony's with an astonished flash of understanding, and then Tony pulled away to go get dressed.

Jethro leaned against the wall for support, banging his head back against it repeatedly. "Damn it!"

"Ya know, I think this would be a good lesson for you in karma. I've always been a firm believer in karma. What goes around comes around and all that. It might benefit you to know that if you push my buttons, yours _will_ be pushed right back!" Tony smirked as he fastened his pants, and pulled his belt the rest of the way through the loops to latch it as he watched Jethro start trying to get dressed again. "I mean-"

Jethro's phone started vibrating on the dresser in front of him. He sighed, reaching for it and squinting as he looked at the number. He went stock still for a split second, and Tony saw it, his demeanor changing immediately to match.

"Gibbs," he answered, shuffling to finish getting dressed. "Yeah, just a minute." Gibbs looked to Tony, who was fishing in Jethro's jacket pocket that hung from the door to find his notebook and pen. He handed it off, and Jethro began writing on it immediately. "Okay, got it." Jethro flipped the phone shut, and took the jacket Tony handed him. He leaned forward and kissed Tony quickly, then started heading for the door. Tony followed him down the stairs.

"Case?" he asked.

"Yeah." Jethro grabbed his keys and slipped his thick trench coat on.

"Anything I can do?"

"No, I got it." Jethro opened the door to rush out, and stopped, turning and pinning Tony against the wall, kissing him deeply, but conveying more emotion than sexual tension. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against Tony's. "Thanks, though." His hand reached to stroke Tony's face, and Tony leaned into it.

"I guess we won't be telling the team this morning. They're going to start texting me any minute now, but honestly, once McGee and Ziva see your ring, they're going to know."

Jethro smiled at him understanding now that of course Tony would have told them what he was planning. "Yeah, guess there's no hiding that. It's not coming off."

Tony smiled. "I guess I'll just tell them."

"Go ahead. I'll be there as soon as possible, and we can tell Abby and Ducky." Tony nodded and Jethro turned to his car.

Tony closed the door behind him and looked out the window, watching Jethro pull out of their driveway like a bat out of hell. He really hated the idea of Jethro going off without him, and of telling anyone about their engagement alone. He thought about it, and it wasn't so much telling his team, but rather telling Gibbs' team that he didn't want to tell alone, and he made a decision.

He ran up the stairs two at a time and found his cell phone. He dialed Parke's phone and shuffled through the closet as he realized he should change his clothes before going into the safe house. _Showing up dressed like a cop probably wouldn't be the smartest idea,_ he thought as he pulled jeans on instead.

Parke answered, and he told him not to leave the apartment, that they were meeting there that morning. He then called Elly and had him meet at the apartment as well. He slipped his Ohio State hoodie on over his clothes and grabbed a sweater to throw in his bag to change into when he got to the office. He took one last look at himself in the mirror before heading out, slipping his gun in the back waistband of his jeans for discretion.

He got into his car and took a moment to adjust the mirror. He hadn't driven himself to work in a while now, and he was suddenly missing being in Jethro's passenger seat with their hands joined. He sighed as he turned the key over in the ignition, and pulled out of the driveway.

NCIS0NCIS0NCIS

Gibbs arrived at the scene to find LEOs taping off the road to keep people back. He parked his car and headed up to the officer barking directions. He flashed his badge and nodded at the guy, taking his offered hand for a shake.

"We got a dead Lance Corporal Austin Ivert. There's signs of a pretty bad fight, two trails of blood and a missing wife and kid." He looked up at the house and then back at Gibbs sympathetically. "It's a hell of a mess in there. BOLO is already out for the missing SUV, and Amber Alert just hit for the kid."

"Who made the call?"

"Ivert's brother. He said that he comes by in the morning to pick up Issac, the missing kid, to take him to daycare with his daughter. He works 10-6 doing warehouse work at Howardsen, and so he drops the kids off, and Reyna Ivert picks him up when she gets off at Teleform. He lost his wife three years ago in childbirth, and with Ivert being gone a lot, they've been helping each other out." The officer nodded over to where a man was sitting alone on the neighbor's stairs. "Lady next door took his little girl to daycare."

"Anything to make you think that they were more than helpful family?" Gibbs asked.

"Not really. I thought that too at first, but he still wears his ring. If a guy hangs on that long like that, I don't see him sleeping with his brother's wife."

Gibbs' eyes flashed to his own ring as he took notes, and thought about how ironic that was. He heard car doors close behind him and he knew that McGee had just arrived. Ziva wouldn't be far behind. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a pair of gloves.

"Let's head in," he told the cop, snapping a glove onto his left hand first to try to hide his ring. He told Tony he wasn't taking it off, but that didn't mean he couldn't hold out as long as possible. He knew that Tony had his heart set on being there when the team found out, and if he could make that happen, he would. They headed up the walkway, McGee coming up behind them and going in with them.

They looked at the scene before them and stopped. There was blood everywhere. Blood pooling from the man on the floor, splatters from where it had sprayed all over the kitchen, and bloody handprints and a blood trail leading through the living room, up the stairs, and back down again.

Gibbs could hear McGee swallow hard and take a deep breath behind him. They had seen worse, but this was pretty bad.

"We got a missing kid and his mom, McGee. Let's get to it."

Tim nodded and then felt a small but firm hand on his shoulder. He turned to see that Ziva had joined him. They looked at each other and then started to move around the house, processing the scene and trying to figure out what happened.

* * *

Tony climbed the stairs to the apartment that Shane was holed up in. He knocked and announced himself at the door of the apartment, and Parke let him in.

"Hey, Boss."

"Hey, Greg. How's your morning going?"

"Not too bad, though you've got me a little worried."

Tony chuckled. " _Nothing_ to worry about! Just wanted to tell you guys something outside of the office." Shane came into the living room.

"Hey, Agent DiNozzo."

"Call me Tony, Shane. I was just telling your brother I'm not here with bad news."

"Thank God. I don't think I can take anymore." Shane flopped down on the couch and propped his feet up on the coffee table. He had a stack of books sitting there, and he picked one up. Tony noticed they were botany books, and he looked at Parke.

"I hit the library for him at lunch yesterday." He shrugged sheepishly, and Shane smiled up from his book. "I have to fight the little punk to do his homework for years, and now I'm picking him up books from the library that I can't understand a bit of. Go figure."

Shane chuckled from his spot on the couch, and flicked his brother off. Parke gave him the bird in return, and Tony smiled. Critten arrived and Tony sat the two of them down at the kitchen table.

"There's something I wanted to let you guys know, but I didn't want it to be announced at work because of the sensitive nature of things." He met both of their eyes, conveying the secrecy he needed from them. They both looked at him with intrigue. "I asked Gibbs to marry me last night, and he said yes."

"Wow! Man, that's so great! Congratulations!" Parke exclaimed, punching Tony on the arm.

"Holy shit! Seriously? That's awesome!" Critten said at the same time, slamming his open hand down on the table.

Shane came to join them at the table. "Wait, did you just say that you and Agent Gibbs are getting married?" he asked in confusion.

Tony nodded, looking to Parke for any signs of concern that his brother might not take the news positively.

"I definitely didn't see that one coming! I didn't know you two were, you know, together, or anything."

"Yeah, we're a couple," Tony said, glad that he wasn't seeing any animosity in Shane's eyes, but not sure yet about how cool it was with it all.

"I don't know if I know any gay couples. I mean, some of the chicks I've chilled with in the crew were into each other, but it was just a thing, ya know? Nothing serious. This is like, a big deal. Taking the vows! Good luck, man!"

Tony finally smiled, relaxing a bit.

"Yeah, we're pretty excited. He had a case come up this morning or else we would have told you all in Abby's lab since it's sound proofed. We can't let this get all over, because we don't want people to make a big deal out of it around the agency, especially with the beef that Kathy is carrying. That means we can't tell-"

"Dorneget," both Critten and Parke interrupted him.

"Yeah, I can see how that would be a problem," Shane added.

All three men looked up at him.

Shane shrugged. "I know more about what's going on in your office than you guys probably do. He likes to _chat_."

Tony looked back and forth between them all. "I know he's a little socially awkward, but I need you guys to try to work with him. He needs a guiding hand and someone to make him a little less…"

"Weird?"

"Odd?"

"Clingy?" Shane threw in.

"Okay, okay. I know he's going to have a hard time fitting in, but he never really has had anyone to show him how to. A few pointers here and there couldn't hurt, as long as they are put in the right way. So try to be understanding and maybe offer him a little friendly advice now and then. He's in our care for a while." Tony looked back and forth between Parke and Critten again, and got nods from both of them. He wondered if they would actually try or if they were just appeasing him, but he knew he'd find out sooner than later. Tony looked at his watch and realized that the man they were talking about would be there within fifteen minutes. He looked at Critten and got to his feet. "We need to jet before he finds us both here, and we can't explain it."

"Yeah, that would be kinda hard, wouldn't it?" Critten asked as he got to his feet. They both shouted their goodbyes to Shane and Critten and then took off for their cars.

NCISNCISNCIS

Gibbs pulled into the lot, and thought for a moment. Ducky and Jimmy would be coming through with the body any moment now, McGee was already heading for the elevator and Ziva was parking her car. He grabbed his phone and called Tony.

"Hey you," Tony said sweetly as he answered, but then turned all business. "How'd it go?"

"Been a while since we've seen one that messy. We're all getting back though, and I think they were too distracted to notice the ring. Who have you told so far?"

"My team, Shane, but not Dorney. Not gonna." Gibbs could hear the slight excitement starting to bubble up in Tony's voice.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"In the bullpen. So, would now be a good time?" Tony asked, dropping his backpack behind his desk into the bottom drawer of his filing cabinet and sat a tray of coffee on his desk.

"Not really, there's a missing kid, but I'm about to go see Abby, and I want you with me when she finds out. I'll get Ducky and Palmer, you round up everyone else and meet me in the lab."

Tony looked around to see McGee coming through the elevator and heading for his desk. "On it." Tony disconnected the call, and Gibbs chuckled as he headed for the elevator.

"McGee! Gibbs wants you in the lab yesterday!" Tim looked up at him confused and dropped his stuff and headed for the elevator. Tony dialed Ziva who was already in the elevator downstairs, told her to meet there as well, and then picked up the coffees before heading for the stairs. He waited on the other side of the door until he heard Jimmy's voice talking with Ducky, and then slipped into the hallway behind them. Gibbs was walking with them as well, and he looked at the tray of coffee Tony had like a junkie. He snickered quietly and handed Gibbs a cup which he immediately started to down. As they approached the door, he leaned into Tony's ear and whispered, "And _that's_ why I love you."

"I hope that's not the only reason," Tony joked back. Gibbs gave his body a lingering look.

"Nope. Definitely not," he said quietly and then turned to head into the lab.

They had been in this room with lots of sad news together over the past few weeks, and Tony was really glad that they were bringing their makeshift family good news for once. He handed coffee to Ziva and Tim, and then looked at Gibbs. Everyone stopped working on what they were doing once they noticed that Tony was with them. Abby, McGee and Ziva all began sharing glances, and then all three tried to get a look at Gibbs' left hand, but he had it in his pocket. Tony saw their glances and smirked.

"I know you have a case you need to get to right away, so I'll make this short and sweet." All eyes turned to Tony as he reached his right hand out for Gibbs' left. "I asked Jethro to marry me last night, and he said yes." Gibbs' hand found Tony's, and they squeezed each other's fingers. Gibbs smiled at Tony, and Tony looked back into Gibbs' shining blue eyes as the room erupted in squeals, congratulatory shouts, and a random clap.

Ducky watched Gibbs'expression as he stared back at Tony, and he paused, the depth of what his friend had been going through over the past few weeks finally sinking in. He had seen a lot of changes, and it had all been in a whirlwind, but in that moment the world had stopped, and it was like the eye of the storm; beautiful, calming relief. He felt like someone had finally turned Gibbs' world heads up like a coin, and he suddenly _knew_ that nothing would ever be the same again. There would never again be a brooding, angry, lonely Jethro in the basement to drop by and console on the anniversary of his girls' death. Now, Tony would be sitting next to him drinking as well, and never again would there be a case that he was afraid Gibbs would run off into half-cocked without thinking about the consequences, because he had something worth living for.

He had tuned out the rest of what the group had said to Tony and Gibbs, and watched the hugs being exchanged. Gibbs had turned to catch the rambunctious hug that Abby suddenly threw at him, and their eyes caught. Ducky nodded at him and Jethro's eyes closed.

Gibbs accepted the hug with an "Ooomph!" then a chuckle. "I take it Tony told you he was going to ask me?"

"Yes," she answered, still holding on to him. She put her mouth to his ear and whispered. "I'm really glad you said 'yes' Gibbs."

"Me too, Abs. Me too," he whispered back, hugging her tightly. She pulled away finally and tossed herself at Tony who accepted her hug with one of his own.

"Did you tell him?" she whispered.

"I saved a little for the vows," he whispered back. That made her pull away and squeal, jumping up and down.

"Oh my god! This is so exciting! We have a wedding to plan!" She continued jumping and turned to McGee to hug him tightly, caught up in the emotions of things.

Ziva came and gave Tony a hug and a kiss on the cheek, congratulating him. "Mazel tov," she said with a smile, but then quieter in his ear whispered, "If you ever need anything, you know I am here."

Tony smirked and chuckled. "Thanks, Ziva."

She offered the same kiss and hug to Gibbs with a smile. "Take care of him, Gibbs."

"Always have, always will." Tony heard, and his eyes locked with Jethro's again for a moment before Jimmy gave Tony a pat on the back, then offered Gibbs a handshake.

"Alright people, we have to get back to work. Dinner at my house Sunday though if you don't already have plans. My dad will be in town, and I'm sure he'd love to see you all if you can make it."

"I will be there with bells on," Ducky said. "Come along Mr. Palmer. We have unfortunate work to do."

"Hey, Jimmy, if you can make it bring Breena!" Tony shouted after them. "I'll leave you guy alone. Good luck with your case!" Tony said, turning to Gibbs with a wink and then heading for the door.

"I'll walk you up," Gibbs said, following him out of the lab.

Abby suppressed a squeal and grabbed ahold of Tim's arm. "Oh my gosh! They are so cute!" she whispered fervently at him, making him chuckle and look at her endearingly.

Ziva looked from them to the door with a chuckle, and then asked Abby to borrow her computer to check on the Amber Alert and BOLO. That brought them back to reality, and they dove into the case.

Gibbs stopped Tony in the hallway by the elevator.

"Didn't mean to rush things, but..."

"I understand," Tony said, waving it off. "The case is time sensitive. I'm surprised we were able to at all."

"We have reason to believe the kid is with his mom, so it's urgent, but so was this. I'll make it up to you."

Tony smiled, slipping his hands around Jethro's waist. "Don't worry about that. Just marry me and love me forever, and I'll be happy."

Jethro chuckled and leaned in to kiss him gently. "I plan on it."

"Good. Now let's go. I know you're dying."

Jethro kissed him quickly, then let him go. "Love you."

"I love you, too." Tony couldn't stop smiling, unable to comprehend how openly affectionate Jethro was being at work.

"How was telling your team?" Jethro asked as he pushed the button to call the elevator.

"It went great! They're awesome. I'm really lucky." They stepped into the elevator, and Tony yawned, taking a drink of his coffee.

The doors closed on them, and Jethro flipped the switch. He leaned up against the wall, his demeanor suddenly changing, smirking at Tony as he slowly examined the younger man head to toe.

Tony raised a curious eyebrow at him. "See something you like?" Tony asked, watching his lover's eyes with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah I do." Jethro's voice was suddenly much lower as he stared at Tony's body shamelessly, and then licked his lips. "Best part? It's all mine. Forever. And no one else will _ever_ get to touch it again."

Tony felt a burning heat rush through his body, the idea of being possessed by Jethro turning him on in a way he had to close his eyes against. He wasn't expecting the low groan that came from his own throat, and then his eyes snapped open to meet Jethro's which were now much closer.

Jethro walked in a circle around Tony, his eyes taking in Tony's entire frame. Tony started to turn to meet him as Jethro's voice raised in a command. "Stand still."

Tony felt himself responding in every way, standing still and facing forward, his breathing growing faster and his heart pounding hard. Jethro came to stand in front of him again, his eyes meeting Tony's and practically crackling with an electric energy that brightened them.

"Going to be tied up in this case for a while, but if I make it home tonight, you're going to be the one tied up." Tony groaned again, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from Jethro, who smirked. "Don't really need to tie you up though, do I? Because you're mine now, and you aren't going anywhere."

"All yours," Tony finally growled out, wanting desperately to throw himself at Jethro, push him against the wall and kiss him hard. Only the echoes of Jethro's demand that he stand still kept him from doing it.

"And?"

"Only yours, forever." He was mesmerized by the authority of the man in front of him, enthralled and willing to do anything and everything he commanded, and he wondered if anyone else in the world would have ever been able to have that effect on him. It didn't matter now, because he knew that he was locked in a metal box under the spell of the only person he would ever really want to be with ever again.

Jethro's eyes suddenly soften and he smiled, then reached down and took Tony's right hand with his left, folding their fingers together and bringing their hands up to chest level.

"And I'm yours forever."

Tony suddenly smiled so brightly that Jethro felt a different kind of warmth running through him other than the sexual fire he'd been suppressing as he teased his partner. To mean that much to Tony, to be wanted so much, and loved so incredibly, to be the most important person in such an amazing man's life, was indescribable. He suddenly broke the seductor's trance and threw his arms around Tony, pulling him close to him, breathing deep and inhaling him.

"I am so glad you're mine, Tony."

Tony accepted the embrace contentedly, but it was such a sudden change from where they just were that he knew something was going on in Jethro's head. "Love you, Jethro."

"Love you, too, Tony."

Tony heard the serious tone in Jethro's voice. He took a moment to absorb the words and the hug, then he slid his hand down and pinched Jethro's butt, surprising him and making him jump.

"Jesus, Tony! What the hell!"

Tony wasn't worried though because Jethro was smiling and trying not to laugh.

"Come on sexy. We've got work to do."

Jethro shook his head and turned back to the panel on the elevator, pushing the for the bullpen. "We'll see who brings you coffee later."

"You will," Tony said with a smile. "'Cause you love me."

Jethro half sighed and half groaned, but he didn't stop smiling as he got off the elevator. "Yeah, yeah," he said as he headed to his side of the bullpen. Tony shook his head as he did the same, chuckling quietly to himself.

* * *

Tony was at his desk going over the notes on the Melinda Stafford videos while his guys were working in the gym. He kept listening for signs that Gibbs was at the desk behind him, or that Ziva and McGee had returned, but there was nothing. He had to remind himself that he had his own cases to worry about, and that he needed to concentrate on those, but he was having a hard time of it. He also knew that he needed to pick up the phone, but it felt weird to be the one making the call. He finally put his hand on the receiver, and then put the receiver to his ear. He dialed the number, and waited for the man to answer.

"Fornell."

"Fornell, it's DiNozzo."

"Was wondering when I was going to hear from you."

Tony realized that Gibbs was going to have to tell Fornell about the proposal. He smirked to himself. "Well, ya know. Had stuff going on with Jethro last night, so-"

"I _**don't**_ need to know!" Fornell shoved out. Tony laughed.

"Don't worry. I know he's planning on telling you _all_ about it. I'd expect a call soon. So, anyway. How did things turn out yesterday?"

"They could have been better. There was a huge crack down, and we found out that a branch of the gang had gone underground and kept the sex trade portion of the business alive, but only at a trickle. The ATF confiscated a couple weapons caches, enough drugs to feed all of Hollywood for a year, and there were 27 arrests. None of them were El Jefe though. He was away on business according to a couple of the rats we brought in. We've got Mexican authorities looking for him, and Border Patrol is on alert, as is the Coast Guard in case he decides to try to come around in a boat."

"So what does that mean for my guys?" Tony asked.

"The hit is still out on him. There are still over a hundred other kids in the gang, and none of the punks we have in lock up know anything about it that they're saying yet. Only a few of them have ever even heard of your kid. There's some pretty fresh meat in there. Bodies are still turning up left and right in the city. El Jefe is paranoid, and he seems to have a strict "no second chances" policy. I'm not sure who he has ordering hits while he's _away_ , but I'd suggest keeping the kid low for now."

Tony sighed, scratching his head. This was going to get old fast, and he wasn't sure they were in any position to heat things up. "Would some names help? Some direction?"

Fornell got quiet, and Tony felt the tension through the phone. "Any of the names that he gave the agent he talked to months ago can now be found in the obits. This guy is a whack job. No discretion, just killing anyone who gets too close. One of the warehouses we went to search was booby-trapped and rigged to blow when we opened the doors. They went in with dogs first, and they alerted the teams to multiple trip wired entrances; eventually removed part of a wall to go in."

Tony groaned, his head falling back against his chair. "Do we at least know what the next steps are?"

"We're trying to plan more raids. We know that's not all he had, and with 27 people in custody, we're hoping one of them'll start talking. You know what? I take it back. I do think some names will help. If I send you a stack of pictures, can you ask your boy if he knows any of them? They are John and Jane does with no priors in the system so far, and really young. We can't identify them though." Fornell started shuffling around his desk for the file with the photos and ran his foot into the filing cabinet. He yelped into Tony's ear, and Tony almost dropped the phone.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, rubbing his ear and switching which one was listening to Fornell curse on the other end of the line.

"Foot. Drawer." His words came out in a half whine, half growl, and Tony cringed.

"Ooo! Sorry."

"Not your fault. You're not the fucker that blew up the trailer. And if I find out you were, I'm going to beat you with my crutch. Then I'll shoot you. And then I'll beat you with my crutch again."

Tony snickered. "Send the photos over. I'll see what I can do. And let me know what's going on next, will ya?"

"Yeah. I'll be in touch. And tell Jethro he'd better not call me with details of your sex life."

"I can't control my man!" he said, egging Fornell on. "He does what he wants to!"

"DiNozzo! Who in the hell are you talking to?" A voice barked from behind him.

"Shit! Got to go!" Parke and Critten snickered as Tony turned around.

"Sorry, Boss. Talking to Fornell." Tony realized he had just called Gibbs "Boss", and Gibbs played it all off by rolling his eyes, but he had noticed the twinge in his chest at the sound of those words coming from Tony's mouth. They replayed themselves a few times through his head, and that's when he turned back to Tony.

"What are you doing talking to Tobias?"

"The case?" Tony said in confusion.

"Oh."

"Told him you'd probably be in touch with him soon," Tony nudged his head in Jethro's direction, and Jethro nodded shortly.

"Case first," he said gruffly, but Tony saw the twinge of sadness in his lover's face as he turned to sit down at his desk and pull something up on the computer.

McGee and Ziva came back into the bullpen and started going over details of the case with Gibbs, and Tony turned around to where Parke and Critten had wandered in from their session in the gym just in time to catch his "boss" comment.

"Grab your stuff guys, we're heading for the conference room."

Parke came to stand next to Tony. "I take it they know?"

Tony got up and led the way through the bullpen, Parke and Critten at his heels. "Yeah. We told them right after they came in with their body this morning." He talked quietly

"You told us before you told them?" Critten asked quietly as they followed Tony up the back stairs to the conference room.

"Well, we wanted to tell you all at once this morning in the lab, but their case came up, and, well, they're Gibbs' team, and you're mine, so I told you first." Tony realized how true that was, and it stung. There was another part though that he felt he probably shouldn't say, and that was that while they were his team, Tim and Ziva, Abby, Ducky and Palmer were family. He had wanted to tell them in a special way, and as the day kept moving forward, the chances of that happening would have slipped away from them. He was suddenly very glad that he had included them all in on the process before the proposal. The only person that didn't know now was Vance, and he knew that he'd find out soon enough.

They headed into the conference room and as he turned to sit down, he noticed that the two men were exchanging a look that communicated much more than he was privy to understanding yet. It wasn't a bad look though, so he decided to watch them instead of ask.

Critten sat his laptop bag on the table, and he took the computer out. Tony had sent him the files they would be going over earlier, and they spent a few minutes getting them loaded and sent to the big screen. They re-watched the interview where Stafford admitted to killing her daughters that turned out to actually be about her granddaughters. They took notes of anything she did, from the simplest movement to the inflection in her voice. Then they loaded a few more videos, watched them, and compared notes.

"So far, I'm not seeing any real tells, but there is definitely something off about her stories. It's like she's taking her time, thinking about what details she wants to change," Parke said.

"Yeah, I have to agree." Critten said, tapping his pen against the table. "The rest of the time, she's rattling off nonsense, ranting about all sorts of things, and then she's suddenly calmer when she starts telling the violent stories. She's thinking them through."

"At first, her doctors thought that she was doing it to try to scare them so that they wouldn't want to be in sessions with her anymore, to make them think she was violent. After checking into her stories and finding them false, they tried talking through her lies with her. She stuck to the stories even when she retold them over and over again. There has to be some kind of method to her lies for her to be able to keep them so straight while she's so heavily medicated." Tony brought up the first video again, and they replayed it, writing down all of the details Stafford gave her therapist about the girls she had killed. He stopped the video and the guys watched him as he went over his list.

"It's all in the details. She said that the girls were her daughters in the video, but her daughters were put up for adoption. They were twins, separated at birth. It was _their_ daughters that she killed. Her descriptions though are of the granddaughters, to a T. The physical descriptions matched, but she changed details about their relationships. She said that they had ruined her life, but she had never even met them. Her daughters being born and taken from her was a huge depressor, and her resentment was with them, though she had only met them a few times. If she wanted to make them suffer, killing their daughters definitely would have done the job. If the rest of her descriptions are of people she knew, people who had some sort of impact on her life in a negative way, I'm thinking that the physical descriptions are what we should be going by."

Both men nodded.

"I agree," Parke said. "She's changing a couple of major details of the situation to throw off the scent, but the rest is accurate. We need to figure out if the rest of the stories she tells could possibly be real people."

They decided to order some pizza in for lunch, and while they took a break to eat, Tony filled them in on what had happened with the FBI and ATF raids.

Parke sighed. "Shane said he was a crazy bastard. Probably just as nuts as this woman," he said gesturing to the paused screen with his slice.

"Even more so," Tony added before shoving his crust in his mouth.

Critten nodded in agreement.

Parke stared at the screen, lost in thought. Tony watched him as he waited for him to speak, knowing that the words were coming together. Tony cast Critten a quick glance and saw that the younger man was watching for it too.

"He's a crazy bastard. What if…?" Parke turned to Tony and Elly. "What if he's not in Mexico? Altering the details. If he learned about the raid, then he knew that his drug ties would be cut. He wouldn't be in Mexico. He'd be looking for something else to do."

Tony watched him, thinking about that. "Something else? Well, it sounds like he kept a toe in the sex trade after all. Are you thinking he might have decided to take that route again?"

"I don't know, but he could just be _changing the details_. He's a power-hungry son of a bitch. He's not going to give up his crew, but he's going to need some kind of business to keep the money flowing." Parke shook his head and took another bite of his pizza as he thought.

Critten started thinking aloud. "Shane brought down his export services though. They'd be looking to him for every missing young woman in the area." He suddenly turned to the guys. "But what if he went to the _import_ side of things? Other than Florida, the easiest place to smuggle people into the country is New York City. It's like, the third worst city in the country for the sex trafficking industry. Shane was just there, and that Jayson kid was killed pretty brutally there too. What if he's the one that did it? He could be the one that rigged the explosion on the trailer, too."

"Do you really think he'd get his hands that dirty, though?" Tony asked.

Parke got to his feet and started pacing. "You said that he's gone off the deep end, right? Killing pretty much anyone and everyone that he thought might be the slightest bit disloyal. With serious trust issues like that, he might be at the point that he's _not_ willing to take that chance anymore."

"Okay. Let's roll with this idea for a minute. How do we prove it? What do we have that can tie him to New York and then to Pennsylvania?" Tony looked back and forth between the two of them.

"We need to dig," Critten said. "All of his financials have probably been scrubbed. Do we even have a real name for the guy?"

"Shane said that he and Lenny had been trying to figure it out, and though they weren't sure how valid it was, they had heard Jesus Dominguez, possibly Jesus Ricardo Dominguez. It's not much, but it's a place to start."

"Is he a U.S. citizen?" Critten asked, already bringing up programs on his computer to do an initial search.

"They believe so. He's in his early thirties apparently." Parke went to stand over Elly's shoulder and look at the screen.

"Did he ever do a sketch with the agent he sat down with in L.A.? Because there wasn't one in the file," Tony asked, taking out his phone to call Abby.

"I don't think he did. He didn't say anything about it."

"Hey, Abs. I know you're doing a million things, but if I have Shane sit down with you, will you do a sketch with him of El Jefe?" All three men waited as she promised to do it as soon as they found the missing mother and son from Gibbs' case.

"You're the best, Abby!" Tony said, promising caffeinated treats soon. Parke pulled out his phone and dialed Dorneget's, moving to the window to get better reception. Critten kept working on the search, and Tony lowered his voice. "Hey, Abs? How is their case going?"

"Um? Could be better. It was a really messy crime scene, and sorting through it is taking more time than we'd like. Major Mass Spec is doing his best with the results, but I can tell you that there were definitely plenty of two different blood types, and when Gibbs found out, he went all growly." Abby sounded tense, and Tony knew what he had to do.

"Growly? Well, that doesn't sound all that bad. I mean, it all depends on context of course, but growly…"

Abby laughed on the other end of the line. "You will need to finish that later, and you _will_. For now though, my babies are beeping at me! See you guys later." She disconnected and Tony looked over Critten's shoulder. He was sifting through results and trying to make connections. Parke came back over and sat with them.

"Dorneget is going to bring Shane over."

"Good. Fornell has some photos he wants to see if Shane may be able to identify as well. I hate to have him do it, but they are some really young John and Jane Does, and they don't have sheets yet. They've canvassed the local schools and still can't figure out who they are." Tony watched Parke's eyes to try to read whether or not he would attempt to keep Parke from being exposed to the photos, but instead of the protective fire he'd witnessed time and time again, he now saw resignation.

Tony had wondered when it was going to sink in for him that his little brother wasn't completely innocent in all of this. Tony was more than willing to support the second chance that Shane had been given and honored, but at the same time he believed that Parke needed to know that Shane's decisions were not Parke's fault, and the first step to overcoming that guilt was going to have to be accepting that Shane was a grown man now, and he was accepting responsibility for his past, not holding Greg responsible.

"I'm compiling a database that we'll be able to run the sketch through first based on the name and age. It might help, might not, but it's worth a shot if it could help narrow it down." Critten looked up at Tony, an excited energy running through his young agent that he found reminded him of himself when he started with police work. He thought about Vance's suggestion to give him a chance to prove himself worthy of the SFA spot, and he turned his attention to what Critten was working on.

"Sounds good. What kinds of parameters are you using?" Critten started talking about what he was doing, running through the different types of searches he was running. Tony reached for the remote control and turned off the flat screen. "Let's move this back to the bullpen."

Critten nodded and closed his computer while the searches ran, and they all picked up their stuff and headed for their desks. As soon as they sat down, Tony and Parke both turned on their own computers, and Tony pulled out his file on the case.

"Elly, there are a few names given in here that weren't included in Shane's initial report. They were added later in the FBI's research. Let's try to pull up whatever we can on them as well," Tony said, looking up to see Critten nod, but not look up from the computer. He saw the urgent foot tapping that shook the younger man as he worked, and Tony smiled, knowing that he would always know when he was actually working or pretending to. He flashed back to all of the times that McGee had been staring at his computer so long that it was hard to tell if he was working, or if he was zoning, and he would lob a paper-wad at him to just find out.

Parke was flipping through the file as well. Tony saw him start typing something into the computer out of the corner of his eye, referring to his folder. He decided to let him do his own thing for a little while, and dove into researching what he could.

Half an hour later, Dorneget and Shane walked into the bullpen saw the fervent nature with which the guys were working. Tony looked up at them.

"Hey, Dorney. Go ahead and log in at that desk. I'm going to send you some files, and I need you to walk Shane through them to see if he can give you an identification on them."

"Sure, Tony." Dorneget moved to the desk next to Tony's and flipped on the desk lamp and computer.

"I'm not going to lie Shane, these aren't pretty. These kids are so young that they don't have records yet, and they've been killed. Anything you can give us could be helpful. Names, nicknames, where you've seen them- just anything." Shane nodded, and Tony continued. "The FBI also arrested 27 people yesterday, none of which were El Jefe. They aren't giving up information though. We don't know if that's because they simply don't know, or if it's because they're scared shitless due to all of the killings."

"Do you have their names too? I could look through them and tell you if I knew any of them, and whether or not they might know something. I know the crew has changed a lot since I've been there, but familiar faces at this point would mean that they're still in good graces, and there would have to be a reason for that, right?"

Tony nodded. "I'll see what I can do." He picked up his phone and called Fornell.

"Hey, I've got Shane looking through those photos for you, and we were thinking if you sent me the mug shots of the people arrested yesterday he might be able to point you in the right direction." Shane watched Tony nod and talk to Fornell a minute. "He's going to send them to us," he said, the phone still to his ear.

"Anything to get me back to the park, man. You know, you should tell those punks they got under lock and key that if they _don't_ talk, they're going to go _back_ to the crew. That's more of a punishment. _El Jefe_ thinks for a minute that they got out because they squealed, he's gonna have them offed by sundown. They know it, too. I'd squeal under that!" Tony looked from Parke to Critten who had both stopped what they were doing to look at each other.

"That's not half bad kid," Tony said with a chuckle. "Hey, Fornell- did you hear that?"

Tony and Fornell discussed the idea for a minute and it was decided he would take the suggestion to the Los Angeles team leader. They worked for the next couple of hours, heads in their computers and their files as Dorneget took notes about anything Shane could give him on the dead kids and those that were arrested.

Tony felt an odd satisfaction as he worked. There was a whole team running under his command at the moment, and they appeared to be on the track of something that could get an extremely evil man off the streets, and give a deserving young man the chance to have a life of his own choosing. It felt good, and he realized he was actually content with it.

* * *

Gibbs, McGee and Ziva were all at the hospital, waiting in the lobby to visit with Ivert's wife and son. Abby had identified the blood in the room as both the Lance Corporal's and his wife's, and upon searching local hospitals, they found that both mother and son had been admitted after Mrs. Ivert crashed her SUV through someone's front yard and into their home. She had lost a lot of blood and passed out at the wheel. They weren't sure what had happened yet, but they had been informed that she had been stabbed in the leg and the stomach, and the little boy had a broken arm and leg from the accident.

The doctor finally joined them in the lobby and sat down with them around the table Gibbs was sitting at with his coffee.

"Reyna Ivert is lucky as all hell to be alive," he started. "The stab wound in her stomach was deep, but other than going through some intestines, it missed all of her major organs. The gash in her leg will heal, and the airbags did a lot to help her in the collision, but she has a concussion from where it slammed her against the side window due to the angle the car was at when it hit the house. Issac will be fine. A couple of broken bones, but those will heal. He's young and healthy, but Reyna wasn't as healthy. When we did the x-rays to make sure nothing else was broken, we noticed multiple healed breaks, including a corkscrew break in her wrist and a hairline fracture to her cheekbone." Gibbs sighed and rubbed his hands down his face.

"She'd been beaten."

"On multiple occasions. The x-rays show the breaks in various stages of healing. That's not all. She has bruising starting to appear around her neck and shoulder from where she was very recently grabbed very hard." The doctor looked as tired as Gibbs suddenly felt.

Gibbs looked at McGee who was taking notes next to him.

"So they got into it, one of them grabbed a knife, and she made sure that this time was the last time. Grabbed her son, and ran," McGee surmised.

"Looks that way. Are we going to be able to talk to her today, Doc?" Gibbs asked.

"No. She's under heavy sedation. She isn't going anywhere anytime soon though. She's going to be in here a few days."

"And her son?" Gibbs said, looking at McGee and Ziva out of the corner of his eye as they watched the doctor for a response.

"He will be released to family once we contact them."

"I can contact her brother in law. Talked to him earlier and I believe he would be the best person to release him to," Gibbs offered.

"Sounds good." The doctor stood up and offered Gibbs his hand to shake. Gibbs was surprised to find his grip firm, used to surgeons' hands being softer.

Once the doctor was gone, Gibbs turned to McGee. "Go ahead on back to the Yard and start processing the evidence with Abby, then get a jump start on your reports. We'll come back tomorrow when we get word that she's awake. I'm going to call Mr. Ivert, fill him in on what's going on, and have him come get Issac." McGee nodded.

"Sure thing, Boss." He headed for the door, Ziva right behind him. She caste a look over her shoulder at Gibbs and knew that it had to be touching a little close to home for him. She pulled out her phone and began texting Tony as she made her way to the car.

_I thought that you should know that we have found our missing child and mother. They were in a bad accident as they tried to escape an abusive husband. They are both alive, but Gibbs does not seem to be taking it so well._

Tony got the message at his desk, the team around him working hard. He stared down at his phone and sighed, rubbing his temple as he did. He wasn't sure what he could do at the moment, and the idea that he wasn't there to just give Gibbs that knowing glance that usually said so much between them had him itching inside.

He text a thank you back to Ziva, and then opened a text to Gibbs.

_Let me know when you get back to the Yard. We can grab some coffee. Love you._

Gibbs got off the phone with Issac's uncle and saw the flashing blue light on the screen that meant he had a message. He opened his texts and saw the one from Tony. A smile involuntarily crossed his face, and he hit reply.

_On my way back now. Be there in 20._

Tony saw the reply text and felt a little better. He checked the time and made a note to wind things down in about ten minutes. It was about 1530 and he knew that they were starting to compile a lot of information. He hoped that it would lead somewhere, though he doubted they would see the path that day. He kept plugging away though, and at 1540, he told his team to keep working, that he'd be back.

He headed down to the square outside of the building, grabbed a couple of coffees and went to sit on the wall. He opened his phone and text Jethro his location, and then waited. About five minutes later Jethro came through the side door of the building that led to the staircase to the lower levels of the parking garage, and Tony smiled in relief at the sight.

Jethro approached Tony on the wall and sat down next to him. He reached for the cup of coffee but instead found himself taking Tony's hand, squeezing it and not letting go. Tony squeezed back, glad the coffees were sitting there to block the actual contact of their hands, but he knew it was kind of obvious anyway.

"I heard."

Jethro didn't have to ask what it was that Tony had heard; the sympathetic look in his eyes told him that Tony was worried about him.

"They'll be okay. There's enough evidence to show that it was self-defense on her part if her story collaborates it. With time, they'll move on." Tony nodded, squeezing Jethro's hand again, letting him know that wasn't what he was worried about, but that he didn't need to say anything. Jethro smiled gratefully at him for not pushing the issue. He knew Tony never had and never would force him to talk about his girls, and that made him want to open up to him sometimes, but this one was still too close to home. The idea of the woman's head hitting the window so hard that it gave her a concussion was sticking with him, and he realized that though he was remembering Shannon, all he wanted was the comfort Tony's knowing glance gave him.

"How is your case going?" he asked, finally letting go of Tony's hand to take his cup of joe.

"Well, we're all in agreement that something is seriously off about the Melinda Stafford videos, but that's going to take some time to sift through. That's more like a series of potential cold cases if that makes sense. We took the same idea though, that she had changed a few major details to throw off her shrink, and applied it to Shane's case, and we had a couple of ideas. It's off and running, and we might be able to help point the FBI in the right direction. We've got Shane and Dorneget working together and the rest of us are researching our asses off. I'm going to have to cut it off in a couple of hours though so we can look at it fresh tomorrow, otherwise we'll be chasing our tails 'til sunrise."

Tony took a drink of his coffee and realized that Gibbs had been staring at him intently while they talked.

"You're doing great, Tony."

Tony smiled gently at the warming blue eyes that stared back at him. "Thanks, Jethro."

"As much as I hate to say it," Jethro said, looking away before returning his gaze to Tony's shining green eyes. "I think this might be what we needed."

Tony nodded, thinking that through. Their relationship had allowed them to be so much more than they were just a month prior. They were open with each other, madly in love, genuinely happy, and their careers were changing. "Yeah," he finally agreed. "I think it might be."


	36. Chapter 36

Ziva smiled as she looked down at her phone and realized that she had a message from Dion waiting. He was due back that night from Europe, and she couldn't wait to get to see him. She messaged him back, confirming that she would be picking him up at the airport. She had been worried that the case was going to keep that from happening, and though Dion would have understood, she was starting to wonder if she would have been okay with it.

She contemplated how everything was moving forward around her suddenly at warp speed. Tony and Gibbs were moving in together and getting married, not to mention holding a dinner at their house Sunday. Tony was now the leader of his own team, and was harboring an NCIS agent's brother from a man that was part gang leader, part drug lord, and dark enough to get involved with the sex trafficking market. Abby and McGee had started dating and were considering making things more permanent, and she was dating a man that made her tingle inside with happiness at the mere thought of.

She considered Dion's sweet temperament and his passion for life. She loved the long conversations they had and the way that she not only felt drawn into the discussion, but felt him being drawn in as well. They were able to talk about culture and politics without things getting heated, and could have a perfectly peaceful evening of making incredible pasta, dancing in the living room and curling up together to read.

Life wasn't the only thing Dion was passionate about. Ziva found it amazing that he could be so passionate about her. He was able to not only keep up with her, but slow her down until she could relax and enjoy everything, and that not only applied to their sex lives, but life in general. When Dion was around, Ziva felt like the world stopped rushing, and she could really take it in. He made her forget to constantly have her guard up, and she couldn't remember ever feeling that way. She thought she should feel concerned about that, but she decided that it was time she allow herself some peace. She deserved a little bit of happiness, and Dion gave her that.

She reminded herself that the team had met him, and no one had thought anything bad about him. Not only that, but she knew that they would have done a complete background on him for her already, and with her past, it would have been more than thorough. If anything would have even tickled their trust-o-meters, it would have been made clear by now.

She got out of the elevator, and before she could get to her desk, she was snapped out of her thoughts by the commotion that started breaking out on Tony's side of the bullpen.

"Greg! Go get your brother and Dorneget from the breakroom! We need to validate something! Quick!" Tony was barking at Parke and before he could finish speaking, the younger agent was up and running.

"Elly, I need for you to start tracing the financials for a Rafael Andersen. Sending you his information now. Fornell just got word that one of the kids in holding flipped when he found out that Lenny was dead and that El Jefe had tried to kill Shane. Apparently he was one of the kids that they had been working to get out of the gang, and when he found out, he broke down and said he wanted to go home to Texas, and if he could just go home to his folks, he would tell them whatever he knew. He apparently knew enough, because he's going home." Tony looked up at Shane and Parke practically running into the bullpen with Dorneget on their heels. "Shane! Do you know a James Thomas?"

Shane looked at Tony as he contemplated the name. "Real young kid? About six foot, buck forty, like ten colors in his hair?"

Tony shrugged. "Don't know yet. Still getting info. He's from Texas, said he knew who you and Lenny were."

"I knew a kid that went by J.T. that used to live in Texas, and I think that was his real name. Lenny would help him out from time to time, and I was trying to talk him into getting out, but he didn't wanna hear much of it. Real young. Ran away from home in seventh grade." He looked at Tony curiously, suddenly afraid he was going to find out J.T. was El Jefe's latest example of what happens when you talk. "Why? Is he okay?"

"More than okay! He's going home to Texas. He just flipped on El Jefe." Tony smiled at him before pointing to the empty desk. "Dorney, I need you at that PC. We're on the hunt. I've got leads for everyone to follow, and I'm sending them to you now." Dorneget and Parke both sat at their computers and started opening things up. "Anything and everything on where these people have been over the past six months to a year. I want it all. Every detail about their families you can find out. If their uncle bought a monkey, I want to know about it. If their little brother is teething, I want to know about it!"

"On it, Boss!" Parke said, already pounding away at his keys.

Shane looked at Tony. "Can I help somehow?"

"Elly, feed your stuff to the plasma. Shane, anything you can think of when you see what comes up, let me know. If you see someone you know, I want you to shout it out. I want any details about anything you see that you _think_ you might know something about, announced. Got it? I don't care how small. Names, familiarity, a _maybe,_ I _might_ know them, the _life stories_ of anyone you see if you think it would tell us anything at all about them. Pull up a chair." Tony started pounding away at his keyboard again, and he started loading stuff to the monitor in dual screen.

Elly started talking to Shane without looking at the monitor. "What do you know about a Rafael Andersen?"

"Rafael? Rafael was a piece of work. He's been there with El Jefe from the beginning, but then he dropped out, and we figured he had been offed like the rest of them. I hadn't seen him for six months before I left. I thought that he was dead. You telling me he's a live?" Shane turned to Tony.

"He's alive alright. Apparently, in his disclosure to the FBI today, J.T. said that he had fallen asleep in one of the warehouses that he had dropped cash off to for El Jefe. He wasn't supposed to stay, but it was raining that night and since no one was there, he decided to wait out the storm by sleeping in a storage closet. He overheard Rafael talking to El Jefe on the phone saying that everything was in place, and he'd be flying out to make arrangements for something. He figures that El Jefe's good buddy Rafael had come to pick up the load he had dropped off."

Shane sat down heavily on the stool. "If Raf is still alive, and he's been alive this whole time, where did he go for six months?"

"That's what we gotta find out. Anything you can tell us about the guy?" Tony asked, grabbing his notebook.

"He's maybe 5' 8"? Built, though. Knew how to charm the ladies, but never kept them. He was rough with everybody, but with the women? Bad news. He'd had a few charges pressed against him for rough stuff, but they always got dropped, or the women came up missing while he had solid alibis. He was just as nuts as El Jefe. We figured he had gotten busted for something and they dropped the charges if he ratted out the boss, and then either he was stuck away by the feds, or El Jefe went on one of his crazier rampages and killed him himself." Tony took down the details of what Shane was saying and then looked back up at him.

"Did he have any place he liked to go to get away? Favorite hang outs, maybe vacation spots? Family in other parts of the country he could have been hiding with?"

Shane shook his head a little as he thought. "He had a sick grandmother in L.A., but other than that, I don't know much about his family. He's been in the crew about as long as me, but he kept to himself more than most. When El Jefe came in and took over things, he started playing favorites with the Hispanics in the group, and he and Raf bonded. Raf was almost like his assistant or his body guard or something. They were always together."

Dorneget looked up from his computer. "Was it Anderson or Andersen with an O-N or E-N?" he asked.

"For some reason I wanna say E-N. His sister was in school with me for a few months before she went to go live with family, but I have no idea where that was. Their grandma, or uh, abuelita he called her, couldn't keep them up when she got sick. She ain't in her right mind. Raf hit the streets though. He didn't wanna leave L.A." Shane looked up at the computer screen as Elly started loading stuff up there.

They plugged away for an hour with Shane giving them whatever he could based on the pictures and information that came up on the plasma. Elly's voice rang out over the clatter of keyboards being tapped furiously, startling them all.

"Boss! I think I have something!" He started sending it all to the plasma, and Tony stood up to look at it. "I traced things back and got a name for Rafael's grandmother, and found that she actually died last year. Her name's Clara Ornata, and her daughter and her son-in-law were killed when the kids were little in a gang related shooting."

"Guess the apple doesn't fall far. So what's with Granny Clara?"

"She might be six feet under, but her credit card isn't! It's been used to book a hotel room in New York, a series of gas stations in Pennsylvania, and was recently used at a Motel 6 in Springfield off of 95! I think we may have him!" Shane jumped up and punched the air with his fist. Parke was next to him in a moment, and their arms flung around each other in a celebratory hug.

Tony got to his feet, and grabbed his badge and gun. "Recently? How recently?"

"As in, he's been using it there every night for the past three nights, as well as at an IHOP next door!" Everyone was going for their weapons and badges, with Elly locking things down and sending them his information between every movement.

"Wait! How much was the bill at IHOP?" Dorneget asked.

Everyone froze.

"If it's a bigger bill, it might tell us if he's alone in there," he suggested.

The realization of what he was getting at dawned on them all, and they waited for Elly to unlock his computer again to check the transactions. "He's dropping about twenty to twenty-five dollars each time, _twice_ today actually."

"Then he's not alone! He's going to have El Jefe with him." Dorneget came out from behind his desk. "Do we let the FBI know?"

"I think the question I want to know the answer to most of all is _why_ is El Jefe with him? Why would it take both of them to get this job done?" Parke asked, looking to Shane for some input.

"Well we thought he might be trying to get back into the trafficking business," Elly suggested. "He might want Shane so he can get out of him how much he told the FBI so that way he knows what avenues are cut off, and which ones he can still use."

"Shit, you guys think that he's going to start taking girls again?" Shane asked, sitting back down, losing his peppy energy.

"No, we were thinking that he might try to start importing them through New York and into L.A.," Tony said tilting his head and looking curiously at Shane.

"That would make sense," Shane said softly. " _El Jefe_ has family in New York. Why didn't I put it together? He probably was going to use 'em to get the girls out of L.A. to begin with. I didn't think anything of running there, because word was that El Jefe left NYC for a reason, ya know? There was a beef, bad blood. I figured if anything, I'd have _allies_ there. Looks like instead, they're piecing together a new family business." Shane's eyes went cold and he looked at Parke with a sudden rage in them. "That fucking bastard killed Jayson and left him in a _playground_ man! A _playground!_ He killed Lenny! He's taken one of my best friends in the world from me, and one of the only decent guys I know. He had Alyscia snatched and let them-" His voice broke. "You go get him, and if you get the chance, you kick his ass extra hard for me!"

Tony looked at Parke, and nodded his head towards the elevator. "Elly, take Parke and Dorney to grab some vests and pack the car. I'm going to call Fornell."

Dorneget looked back and forth between Tony, Shane and the group. "I'm going?"

"Yeah. Go on, all of you." Tony's eyes locked on Shane's, and Shane's locked back.

"Where am I going?" Shane finally asked quietly when the rest of Tony's team was closed into the elevator.

Tony looked over at the bullpen where McGee, Ziva and Gibbs were all watching the events unfolding, and not very discreetly. Tony looked at Gibbs, and got the nod. He turned back and looked at Shane. "Our house. You need to listen, and you need to listen to me _very carefully._ " Tony's voice was icy cold at this point, and Shane nodded stiffly.

"From this point on, you are not a part of this investigation. Not because I don't appreciate your help, because it has been invaluable, but as of right now, you are not going to see Greg again until it's over and done with and we've got the bastard. You know what will happen to him if he ends up doing something passionate and goes after El Jefe without backup, without due process, without sense. If he doesn't end up dead, he'll lose his job, and we need him here, and he needs to be here. _You_ are the only thing he cares about more than himself, and no matter how much I may agree that that monster needs to be put out of our misery, if it's not done free of personal vendetta, that jury will hang and he'll be right back out there. Also, if you even _try_ to leave Gibbs' custody, I will _personally_ escort you back to L.A. and drop you right in the middle of the ghetto in a bright yellow sweatshirt that says "snitch" on it, and I'll even tie your shoelaces together. Are we clear?"

Shane nodded quickly. "I just have one question," he said in a much quieter voice than the one he had just been using.

Tony looked at him expectantly.

"Can we go by the apartment and get my books?"

Tony sighed. "That's up to Gibbs."

Tony pulled out his phone and as he turned to head to the elevator, nodded at Gibbs again, who nodded back. Shane got up and wandered over to the other side of the wall and stood in the middle of the bullpen. Gibbs nodded at Tony's old desk, and he went to sit down.

McGee leaned over and quietly advised Shane. "I'd listen to him. Tony's actually tied my shoelaces together before, and he learned his knots from Gibbs. Took me an hour to get them untied from around a barstool."

Ziva laughed. "When was this, McGee? And why do I not have video?"

"Well, it was… it was after Kate died." McGee looked up sheepishly at Gibbs who suddenly looked up to meet his stare. There was a shared moment of remorse between them, and the rest of the story was aimed in Gibbs' direction. "We'd gone out drinking, and he needed cheering up."

Ziva looked down at her desk, remembering going through the drawers that had once been Kate's and finding her things. She remembered the sketchpad that she had turned over to Gibbs, and the collection of ponytail holders in the top drawer. There was a spare pair of pantyhose and a tiny bottle of perfume in the larger drawer for those after work dates, and a small calendar book with flowers on it. Ziva wasn't sure of what to think as she remembered these things while her boss and SFA shared their own private hell of a memory caused by her brother. She tried to find a moment's peace in knowing that she had put this woman's cold-blooded killer in the grave, but it only tore at her to think of that night that she took Ari's life, and watched part of her heart and soul pour out in the blood on the floor around him.

She looked up at the rest of her team, and swallowed hard. They had become her family, and so had Tony. She felt very uncomfortable suddenly with the idea that Tony was chasing down a dangerous criminal without them there, and she realized that if she was feeling that way, Gibbs must be feeling it even worse. She began watching them as they tried to go back to work and noticed that they were both fidgety, which was extremely unusual for each of them separately, but together, it was excruciating.

She couldn't take it after only ten minutes of Gibbs tapping his pencil against his notebook and McGee spinning back and forth a little in his chair as he tried to read over some paperwork he was learning to fill out, while running his hand through his hair.

"Is there nothing we can do to help him with this?!" She burst out. McGee looked at Gibbs eagerly, waiting for the answer to grab their gear or to start digging into Tony's case, but instead, Gibbs dropped his pencil and propped his elbows on his desk with a thunk, while his head met his hands and they ran down his face.

"No. There's nothing we can do, and nothing we should do. This is his thing now, and no matter how much we may want to get involved, if we do, it will only tell Tony that we don't think that can handle it on his own. He's more than ready for this. He doesn't need us anymore. He's got a great team, and they'll watch out for each other." He suddenly realized how dejected that sounded, and got to his feet. He didn't want to be around anybody, but if he had to, being around only Abby would be easier than being around his team and Shane. "I'm going to go grab some coffee and check with Abby. Until I get back," he said, addressing Shane now directly, "You are to stay with Agents McGee and David, understood?" Shane nodded fervently.

Gibbs headed for the staircase, and McGee's eyes followed him. Ziva looked at McGee, and once Gibbs had left the bullpen, McGee looked back at Ziva. They both suddenly turned and looked at Shane. Shane looked back at their nervous glances and then towards the door Gibbs had just gone through, and wondered what they were staring at him for.

"What?"

"You are staying at the house?" Ziva asked casually.

"At Agent Gibbs' and Tony's house? Why? Is there something I should know?"

"What do you know about this whole…" McGee started asking, his eyes flickering to Ziva before going back to Shane.

Shane looked around the room to make sure no one was nearby. "Tony told me this morning about their engagement, if that's what you're asking. Well, told Greg and Elly, but I was there, too. Why?"

"Just surprised he told anyone outside of the team." McGee looked back over at Ziva.

"Well, he didn't tell Agent Dorneget, so I think I just found out because I was there and he knows I won't let it get around."

Ziva nodded and looked at McGee, and after a moment they went back to their work.

Meanwhile, Gibbs was downstairs with a cup of coffee and a CafPow for Abby. He had checked in on the case and then told her that Tony was off chasing the bad guy. Abby put her CafPow down and turned to look at Gibbs, knowing that if Gibbs was chatting, there was a reason.

"Poor Gibbs! Tony's off running after a really dangerous guy without you! You must be like, all worried and nervous and anxious, only your Gibbs, so you don't get nervous and anxious, but worried, I _do_ know that you get worried, and you would be, because this is Tony, and though he's totally capable, and he's going to be just fine out there on his own with his new guys, it's probably totally weirding you out!" She threw her arms around him.

"How much caffeine had you had today, Abs?" Gibbs finally asked as he hugged her thin frame back, finding a much needed comfort in it.

"Waaaayyyyy too much, but not enough. There's still so much to do with this stuff. There was blood on _everything_ Gibbs. Like, every single piece of evidence that came in here had blood on it. I actually made Ducky show me the body before he started the autopsy, on camera of course, but I just couldn't believe that there was such an intense blood squirt from where his wife must have just swung with the knife, and sliced whatever she could get to. I mean, it's all a mess, which usually is interesting because I have to get through it all to solve the case, but now that we pretty much know what happened, it's just a lot of _work_."

Gibbs sighed as Abby pointed out the entire table and desk full of evidence bags. "Would it help if McGee sorted through some of this with you?" he asked. He watched as Abby perked up and smiled at the mention of McGee, and though he knew somewhere in the back of his mind that a month earlier he would have rolled his eyes, he now found it somewhat endearing because he knew that she was finally happy. He pulled out his phone before getting a real response, and hit McGee's speed-dial. "McGee. Get down here for a while and help Abby. The paperwork can wait. She's got a mountain, and can use a hand."

"On my way, Boss!"

Gibbs flipped his phone shut, and then clipped it back to his belt. He realized that Abby was smiling oddly at him, and he raised an eyebrow at her in question. "What?"

"Your ring suits you. Tony and Timmy did a good job of picking it out. Silver- well, platinum- matches your hair." Abby smirked at him and crossed her arms.

Gibbs looked at his ring with a smile and then realized what Abby had just told him. "McGee helped Tony pick out my ring?"

"Well, he took him along, but from what I hear, it was a mutual and immediate decision. The words were all Tony though. He's got a kind of romantic side to him. I like it!" Abby was bouncing on her heels when Gibbs heard the elevator door open in the hallway.

"He told me I have to pick out his ring, and he told me I could enlist your help."

"Hey, Boss. Hey, Abs. Still trying to sift through it all, huh?" McGee asked as he approached the table of bags and boxes.

"Yeah. Hey, Timmy! Gibbs said that Tony is making him pick out a ring for him. Any suggestions?" Abby grabbed her CafPow and took a slurp while looking across the table at McGee.

McGee looked at Gibbs, expecting him to feel that Abby was intruding, but instead, Gibbs looked genuinely interested in what he had to say. He cleared his throat and shrugged. "I'd probably do the same one he got for you, only change what it says on the inside to make it personal."

Gibbs thought for a moment and nodded. "I could do that."

Abby nodded in agreement. "Wedding rings should match, or at least go together, you know? So what would yours say?"

Gibbs smiled. "Not sure yet. Guess you'll just have to wait and see." He turned to leave and got to the door, then turned around. "Thank you both- for everything." They both nodded in surprise, and Gibbs turned, patting the door frame on the way by. He had never thought that'd be getting wedding ring advice from McGee and Abby, especially for a ring he was having made for Tony. Now, he just had to think of what it was going to say.

He got on the elevator and pulled out his phone, opening a new text to Tony.

_Make sure you come back to me._

A reply came before he could even make it back to his desk.

_I promise._

* * *

Tony and his team pulled up in a lot down the road from the hotel to find that Fornell was there in a walking-boot directing a team of people from around the trunk of his car. They joined the group, and Fornell stopped talking to nod at them.

"Okay, people," he continued. "For those of you who don't know them, this is NCIS Supervisory Special Agent DiNozzo and his team, Agents Parke, Critten and Dorneget." Tony saw Dorney's head snap to the left to look at him suddenly at that announcement, but he made eye contact with the rest of the group around him instead as Fornell continued. "They're with us on this. We're going to go in, surround the motel and announce ourselves. The staff has confirmed that two males of Dominguez and Andersen's descriptions are in the room, and they are trying to quietly evacuate the rooms on both sides of the targets', but we won't be sure of how successful that has been, so take precautions."

After explaining the plan, Tony's team was wired with ear pieces to hear Fornell's calls. He wouldn't be going in himself because of his foot, but he was going to run command from the lot. Tony put Dorneget with him to feed them information as needed, and to help with whatever Fornell might need assistance with. Fornell looked at Tony with an "Are you kidding me?" expression, and Tony flashed him the, "Aw, don't you trust me?" smile.

Tony, Parke and Critten drove together to the motel, and Tony took a minute to look at Parke.

"I know that I don't need to tell you that you are NOT to let your personal feelings about this case do anything to jeopardize the case, your job, or their coming out of there alive for a trial, but I'm going to tell you anyway just to cover our asses. That being said, if I get the chance to take an extra swing at him for you, I plan on it." Tony got out of the car without waiting for a response from either man. Parke stared at Tony's retreating back for a moment, and then looked at Elly.

"What the hell was that?!"

Critten laughed in the back seat at his partner's expression of confused disbelief.

"He tells me not to go too rough on the dude, then tells me he's going to rough him up for me? Seriously? I don't know whether or not to be angry or touched!" Parke shook his head and got out of the car, and Critten opened his door and stifled his continued urge to laugh. Two police cars and two FBI cars pulled past them to surround the motel room's outside entrance, and Fornell's car pulled up with him, Dorneget and another Feeb to park next to the NCIS car. Tony and his agents joined the throng of FBI agents and local police that had come together for the takedown.

Tony turned and met Parke's eyes and then Critten's. They nodded and then they got the command through their earpieces to approach the door and announce. Two Feebs joined them, and they went up to a red door with the metallic numbers 317 on it.

Tony felt every hair on the back of his neck stand up. He knew that he had Parke and Critten there with him, and he knew that they had his back, but it wasn't the same as having Gibbs, Ziva or Tim with him. He had doubts about Parke's ability to keep an unbiased head, and he knew that neither of them had ever been part of this kind of take-down before.

He summoned all of his trust in them, remembering how supportive they were when he told them about him and Gibbs' relationship in the hospital, and again that morning when he announced their engagement. He reminded himself about how cohesively they had worked together on the Americana and the conversations they had during the review of the Melinda Stafford videos was like they could all read each other's minds.

What finally started settling his nerves though was remembering the way that Parke trusted him in the elevator when he told him about Shane. He had promised his team that he would there for them, have their back, and be more than Kathy was to them. When Parke shared the secret of his brother with him, and trusted him to help find and protect him, he didn't know it would lead so far as to be taking down a blood-hungry killer and his right hand henchmen in a motel room, but this is where their path had led them, and Tony wasn't going to let Parke's trust in him falter now.

So many times he had watched his hard work turn into closure for a victim or a victim's family, and he would look back on the case and all of its hard points and know in that moment that every bit was worth it. Reuniting Parke and Shane had been an incredible experience, but it wasn't over there. It wouldn't be over until Shane could go back to the life that he loved, and Parke could rest easy knowing his brother was safe.

On the other side of that red door to room 317 was the barrier keeping his agent from being able to sleep at night, and the greatest fear in that agent's kid brother's life. On the other side of that door, was a menace, a monster that had tortured a teenager and left him to be found by kids arriving at school the next morning on their playground. That monster had left kids' lifeless bodies all over Los Angeles and had taken teenage girls from the streets and sold them into sexual slavery. He was a coward at heart, unable to maintain control of equal-minded adults, so he had used children to reach his status, standing on their backs with taunts of being able to take their lives in a simple unremorseful breath. He reigned by fear, and fear was something that Tony wasn't going to let control him. He would use caution, honoring his promise to his lover, his fiancé, his everything, to come back home safe and sound that night, but he would not allow this terror on the other side of the red door to scare him. He took a deep breath and gave the signal to the FBI agent across from him.

The other man knocked. Tony's voice carried over the sudden shuffling inside. "Jesus Dominguez! Rafael Andersen! NCIS, FBI, and Metro Police! We have you surrounded! Open up, and come out with your hands where we can see them!"

Two male voices started yelling at each other in Spanish in the room, and Tony tried to hear what they were saying. He could make out some of what was being said, including one calling the other an idiot, but after ten seconds when there was no response to them, he nodded and the FBI agent kicked in the door. They swarmed into the room, and suddenly a gunshot rang out with an echo.

* * *

Gibbs asked Ziva to take Shane by the apartment to gather his stuff and then bring him to the house. She looked at the clock and nodded.

"That will not be a problem. I do not have to be at the airport until nine. Are we finished here for the night?" She looked up at Gibbs for the okay to leave, and he nodded.

"Yeah, go ahead. McGee is going to be helping Abby for a while with evidence, so we'll probably go see Reyna Ivert tomorrow morning without him. I'll be there soon, but the door's unlocked." Gibbs turned off his desk lamp, and reached for his coat.

"Gibbs." Vance's voice startled him from the railing above him. "I need to see you."

Gibbs felt a cold chill run down his back. He and Ziva shared a glance as he dropped his coat back over his chair and headed for the stairs. Vance was waiting for him in the lobby outside of his office, and the look of concern on his face made Gibbs' stomach drop.

"What's going on, Leon?" Gibbs asked, and the quiet voice he used made Vance flinch.

"I just got word from Fornell that they took down El Jefe. Both Dominguez and Andersen are dead. The raid wasn't so clean though. They didn't go down without a fight. Agent Parke took one in the shoulder, and FBI Agent Daniel Malcom was hit, too. DiNozzo apparently had the kill shot on Dominguez, but not before taking a hit in the vest." He gave it a moment to let that thought sink in. "DiNozzo has decided to let the FBI take the bodies. He wants the case as far from his men as possible."

Gibbs stood stock still as he took in the news. He had so many things he wanted to say, but the idea of Tony having such a close call had his mouth wired shut and his feet glued to the floor. Vance continued in a softer voice.

"Apparently, they announced themselves, accompanied by a few of Fornell's agents, and after ten seconds of no answer but noises coming from inside the room, they kicked their way in. The firefight was immediate. Malcom went down, then Tony was hit, then Parke. The entire thing lasted less than two minutes. As soon as the first gunshot was fired, Malcom's backup, Agent Galto, hit Andersen, Parke hit Dominguez, Critten hit Andersen again, DiNozzo hit Dominguez for a head shot from the ground, and then Galto hit Andersen again, finally taking him down. They're all at Bethesda." Vance saw that all of the color had drained from his senior agent's face, and he wondered if he was going to pass out on him. He'd never seen Gibbs look so fragile. "I thought you'd want to know."

Gibbs barely nodded, and that's when Vance looked down quickly to see if his hands were shaking, and saw the ring on his finger.

"Looks like DiNozzo found the jewels to ask you after all," he smiled at Gibbs, who still stood still. "And you said 'yes'. Gibbs?" Gibbs' eyes moved back to Vance's. "Why don't I drive you over to Bethesda?"

Gibbs nodded slowly again. "We'll take Shane," he finally said, his words coming out somewhat choked.

"Sure, we can take him, too. I'm sure Parke would like that." Vance pointed over his shoulder. "I'm going to get my coat. Just… just stay there." Vance swallowed hard as he turned to head into his office. He grabbed his stuff quickly and set the code for the room's security system. He closed the door behind him and found Gibbs standing in the same spot he had just left him, staring off into space.

"Come on, Gibbs. Let's go get him." Gibbs nodded and followed Vance out of the room. They headed down the steps and into the bullpen.

"Change of plans. Shane, you're with us." Gibbs grabbed his coat and slipped it on.

"Is Greg okay? What's going on?" Shane jumped up from behind the desk, and Ziva was on her feet as well, feeling a burst of adrenaline.

"He will be, kid. He will be. Let's go." Gibbs followed Vance slowly to the elevator, still dazed.

"Gibbs? Is Tony okay?" Ziva shouted after them.

"I'd tell you if he wasn't, Ziver," he shouted back.

The elevator doors closed on the three men, and Shane started pelting them with questions. "What happened? Where are we going? And I'm sorry, who are you?"

Gibbs gave him a glare, and Vance was glad to see a bit of the shock wearing off. "This is NCIS Director, Leon Vance. Parke was shot, but he'll be okay. We're heading over to the hospital to see them."

Shane nodded, taking a deep breath. "Them, Agent Gibbs?" he asked.

"Them. The team is gathering there." They all got out of the elevator, and Shane had gotten the hint by Gibbs' sad tone of voice that something wasn't quite right, and that he needed to shut up.

Vance piled them all into his SUV, and they pulled out of the lot. The ride over was silent, and when they arrived, they all jumped out of the car eagerly, and ran for the building.

Entering the lobby, the nurse working the front desk asked what she could do for them, but Gibbs and Shane had already spotted Tony and Elly in the lobby. Both men were pacing back and forth. Gibbs was standing in the entry when Tony turned and saw him. He stopped moving and Gibbs headed for him, their eyes locked on one another. Gibbs wrapped his arms around Tony in a tight embrace, and Tony held him back, despite the pain in his chest.

Gibbs felt the solid man in his arms, felt the warmth coming from his body and the breath on his neck that told him that Tony was alive and safe. He clung tighter to him, afraid even then that Tony would slip away from him.

Tony held onto Gibbs' body, feeling the safety of the embrace he was in. He knew that the man in his arms knew what it was like to wait on one of his own agents to come through surgery. He also knew that Gibbs understood how terrifying it was to have the responsibility of the safety of his agents, and how nerve wrecking that was. More than anything though, he was glad to have his partner in his arms, feeling wanted, loved and protected by him. Gibbs' mere presence reassured him that everything would be okay.

Gibbs pulled back slightly and took Tony's head in his hands, resting his forehead against his. "Too damned close, Tony."

"I promised you I'd come home. Wasn't going to break that." Tony's voice came out in a whisper as he leaned in and kissed Gibbs gently.

Vance suddenly cleared his throat from ten feet away. Tony looked up, surprised to see him there.

"Director," he greeted him. He and Gibbs stepped out of their embrace, but their hands instinctively clasped.

"Tiffany Parke just arrived," he warned.

Gibbs looked at Tony and nodded. Tony leaned in and kissed him on the cheek then went to greet Tiffany. Gibbs stood aside with Vance, and watched as Tony sat down with Tiffany to talk about Parke. Elly was standing off to the side, explaining everything to Shane when he realized that Tiffany had gotten there. Elly pointed her out to Shane, and Shane looked from her and back to Elly before walking over to kneel down in front of her.

Tiffany looked at Shane as if though she had seen a ghost. Tony shot Gibbs a nervous look, and Gibbs looked back in confusion. Elly came over to stand with Gibbs and Vance to watch the scene unfold.

"What's going on here, Agent Critten?" Vance asked.

"That's Parke's brother and Parke's wife meeting for the first time. She didn't know that Parke and I had been chasing Shane down again. This could go one of two ways: she could either be extremely happy for Parke right now that he found his long lost brother, or she could be really pissed that the hunt for said long lost brother has ended with Parke getting shot." Elly's eyes never left the scene unfolding before him.

"Sounds like a lot of drama," Gibbs muttered.

"Yeah," Elly agreed. "But it's like a train wreck, you just gotta watch."

Gibbs' hand came up and smacked him across the back of the head.

"Hey! What the-?"

"Elly!" Tony warned without even looking at him. "If he slapped you, you deserved it."

"But-!"

Tiffany looked up at Critten, suddenly realizing he was there as well. "Elly?" she asked.

He came across the room to sit on the other side of her in the uncomfortable hospital lobby chairs.

"Hey, Tiff. He's going to be fine, honest. He's just getting everything cleaned up and they're making sure there isn't too much damage." He put his arm around her shoulder, and she leaned her head on him for a moment.

"I would love to be so pissed at you two right now!" she said, her head suddenly jerking up off his shoulder, but then she laid it back down. "I'm just too happy that he's not seriously hurt. I knew that this was the kind of thing I would have to get used to when he told me he wanted to become an agent, but I thought I'd have more than a year or so to get prepared for it."

Elly started rambling nervously, trying to explain and set up a defense for them before she could get too mad. "Well, we were looking for Shane, but we weren't going to go after him alone, I promise! Then Shane's friend Lenny came to find out who was hunting him down and trashed the place, and we didn't know he was a good guy, and he didn't know we were the good guys, and things got messy, and then we _all_ went to find Shane, like two whole teams worth of people at work, and then this trailer exploded, and the FBI got involved, and long story short, we just took down a crazy bad guy that did some really horrible things to some really young people, and was planning on doing more."

Shane had moved to sit on an end table across from them. They sat talking, and Tony got up, sneaking away from the three of them to stand with Gibbs and Vance.

"Dorneget stayed behind to help process whatever they needed from us. I told them to take the case. I don't want it tied back to Parke and Shane in any way in case someone tries to seek revenge. Parke should be out of surgery soon. As soon as he's out and I know he's okay, I figure we'll head back to the office and begin writing up the reports." Tony yawned, his eyes scrunching closed as he covered his mouth.

"Reports can wait, DiNozzo," Vance said. "Make sure your man is alright, and then go home. I don't want to find out you were back in the office tonight." Tony looked at him in surprise, but nodded. "And give Gibbs a ride home, will ya? I'm going to head home to my family."

Gibbs smirked at Vance as he departed, then took Tony's hand again.

"I'm really glad you're here," Tony said quietly.

"What happened, Tony?" he asked quietly, leading Tony to the chairs behind them, never letting go of his hand.

"We couldn't chance a standoff in the motel because it was pretty booked, and with them having experience with explosives, we didn't want to give them time to rig anything. We knocked, announced, entered… and then there was shooting. It was pretty much suicide by cop. Ya know, I could hear them yelling as we knocked, and they were blaming each other for finally being busted. They had found out that Shane has a relative who's a Fed, and they were blaming each other for not knowing. It was so weird, because with that kind of argument, I wasn't expecting them to be ready to go out guns blazing. I thought… well I don't know what I thought except that you weren't there, and I was suddenly responsible for the safety and well-being of the two men behind me, and now one of those men is lying in surgery."

Gibbs squeezed Tony's hand. "He's going to be fine. You did what you needed to do. It doesn't sound like anything was off or any wrong moves were made. Sometimes it's just like that."

"Yeah. When that bullet hit my vest and knocked me back, I felt like I wasn't in my own body anymore. There were two of me suddenly- the clear-headed agent that knew he needed to take down this guy before his colleagues got hit, and then there was this other Tony- the one that couldn't stop thinking about his family. I've never felt that Tony before, ever.

"Before, my family _was_ the group of my colleagues behind me in the line of fire. They were one and the same. Now, there's these two separate groups, and two completely different trains of thought, two completely different types of responsibility." The full weight of the situation was hitting Tony hard. He squeezed Jethro's hand even harder, grateful more than ever to have him by his side. He swallowed over and over, trying to remove the lump forming in his throat, but it wasn't working.

Gibbs cleared his throat too and looked at their joined hands. "I… Vance had to drive us here. I haven't felt so scared since… that same horrible feeling was there as when I found out…" His eyes flicked up to find Tony's green orbs looking devastated as he realized what Gibbs was getting at.

"The girls?" he asked quietly.

Jethro simply nodded.

Tony was touched in a way that ached deep inside. He knew that Jethro had loved Shannon more than anyone on the planet, and then his daughter came along to match. To be compared to them in any way was sacred, but to define the possible loss as equal was powerful. He'd seen the kind of pain that his lover had been through over the years as he grieved for them well beyond their death, unable to move forward until recently. He didn't want to cause him that kind of pain. He knew how close they had come, time and time again over their history together, to being lost in the line of duty, and he stared into those blue eyes and wondered if it was worth the possibility.

He loved what he did, but if something happened to him, he would leave Jethro behind to mourn all over again. At the same time, he knew that if anything happened to Jethro, he wouldn't be strong enough to handle it. He couldn't see himself building a boat in the basement or drowning himself in cheap bourbon for years to block out the memories like he had watched Jethro do. He had no fallback plan.

"I know what you're thinking," Jethro said softly. "Don't."

"Don't what?" Tony asked just as softly.

"Overthink it."

"It's beyond overthinking. At this point it's serious consideration." Tony's eyes locked onto Jethro's and he saw them softening.

"You wouldn't be happy doing anything else," he said.

"No, I probably wouldn't, but I wouldn't be any happier dead, and if I laid there dying from a gunshot wound, my last thoughts would be of leaving you behind. Hell, Jethro, I'm probably going to have a heart attack the first time something comes close to happening to you anyway. I can't keep-" Tony was suddenly interrupted by the presence of the doctor coming out to find them. He jumped to his feet, and so did Tiffany, Shane and Elly. Gibbs turned to see what was going on, and was on his feet as well, still not letting go of Tony's hand.

They all gathered around the doctor.

"Who is here for Malcom?" he asked.

Tony looked around, but Fornell wasn't there yet. "Agent Fornell should be here shortly. Malcom was FBI. How's he doing?"

"He's in critical condition. He's lost a lot of blood and he's in a medically induced coma." Tony and Jethro looked at each other, squeezing each other's hands for dear life.

"How's Greg?" Shane asked. Tony realized that Tiffany had Elly by one hand and Shane by the other.

"Agent Parke is doing well. He's out of surgery and will be released at some point tomorrow. There was some minor damage, but the bullet was through and through. He'll need some physical therapy, but that's to be expected. Next of kin can see him in a couple of hours when he wakes up, and the rest of you in the morning." The doctor looked around the room.

"Tiffany and Shane here are his next of kin. As soon as they can go see him, will you have a nurse come get them please?" Tony asked. The doctor smiled sadly at him and nodded. Tony continued. "I'll get in touch with Agent Fornell about Malcom. Any word on when people can see him?"

"Well, Malcom doesn't have any next of kin listed, so I'll let Agent Fornell in to see him when he gets here. He's out cold. Since I know that Agent Parke's anesthesia will be wearing off soon, I'd like to wait for him to wake up, get his vitals and such before letting people back." The doctor explained the situation more to Tiffany and Shane to prevent confusion, and they both nodded their understanding. He reassured them again that Greg was going to be fine before leaving.

"I'm going to go call Fornell," Tony said.

"You want me to?" Jethro offered.

Tony smiled at him, but shook his head.

"No, but thanks. This was our mess, so I'll take care of it." He squeezed Jethro's hand and let go to find a quiet corner to make the call. He felt Jethro's eyes on him as he walked away, and tried not to think about his partner, and instead focus on what he had to tell Fornell. He dialed the number and sat down in a chair away from everyone else, feeling utterly exhausted. The phone rang a couple of times before answering.

"Fornell."

"Hey, it's DiNozzo. I need to talk to you about Malcom."

"Shit. Give it to me straight, Tony. No good way to take news like this." Tony realized that he'd been called Tony and not DiNozzo, and he knew that Fornell must have been as drained as he was.

"He's critical. They have him in an induced coma. Doctor said there was a lot of blood loss, but he's out for now. He also said you can see him when you get here." Tony waited for the moment of silence to pass, and then Fornell's voice came back through the line much quieter than before. Tony realized he had found someplace private to finish taking the call.

"He was semi-conscious when he left here," he said.

"Yeah, but with the amount of blood loss, they found it necessary. They can't give us any more details than that. Since you're his boss, they'll talk to you, but not me. You need to get down here." Tony quietly prodded Fornell while trying to sound sympathetic. "He was hit pretty close to the neck there on his shoulder. That's a touch and go area."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. I just sent Dorneget back to NCIS with all of the stuff you guys will need. I'm going to turn over the site here to Padrivas and grab Galto. We'll be there soon."

"Okay, I'll be here." Tony looked down at his phone as it went dark. He suddenly felt a strong hand on his shoulder and looked up at Jethro.

"We gonna wait for Fornell to get here?" he asked softly.

"Yeah. I want to make sure he and Malcom's partner get to see him, and I want to make sure that Tiffany and Shane get to see Greg." Jethro rubbed his shoulder a little.

"We have time. Let's go hunt down some coffee, and then we'll come back and catch up with them when they get here." Jethro's other hand began rubbing Tony's other shoulder for a moment, and Tony melted under the touch.

"You're trying to butter me up so we can go get caffeinated aren't you?" he joked, finding an airy chuff escaping his throat.

"Nope. We're finding coffee whether or not I butter you up. We need to step away a minute."

Tony nodded and stood up. They headed over to their group and Tony looked at Elly. "We're going to find some coffee. Fornell will be here soon, but I should be back by then. Does anyone need anything?" His eyes scanned the other two with him as well.

"If you could find some juice, that would be great. My sugar is a little down," Tiffany said.

"Sure thing. Be back soon. Shane? Elly? Coffee?" He got nods from both of them, and he and Jethro turned to walk down the hallway. They had been there often enough to know where to go to find a cup of joe that late in the evening, and Jethro's internal compass always tended to point directly to coffee anyway, so Tony just followed his lead.

They were walking through the hallway with their hands linked, silently absorbing their evening when Tony noticed a nurse giving them the evil eye as she walked by. Tony rolled his eyes and shook his head, and Jethro turned to see what he was looking at. When he saw that the nurse was looking over her shoulder at them, he stopped and glared right back.

"Something we can help you with?" he asked bitterly.

She started walking down the hallway quickly, shaking her head. Tony jerked Jethro's hand in the other direction.

"Normally, I'd say go for it, but I'm exhausted, and now is not the time. Please, let's just go find coffee. If Nurse Bigot is still here in the morning when we come to see Parke, we'll do something then, but for now, I just want coffee."

Jethro looked into Tony's tired eyes and nodded, sighing heavily.

"I have to say though," Tony said as they sauntered down the hallway together, "that seeing you get all riled up over it all is kinda hot. I mean, two months ago, I never would've thought that we'd be holding hands walking through a hospital after a case with part of my team here, or, ya know, hugging in the lobby in front of Vance, but you're really getting comfortable with it all, and I actually really love it."

Jethro smiled. "I am _sick_ of hiding, Tony. I'm not going to downplay what we have just because you're a guy and I'm a guy. They can kiss my ass. If I want to hold my fiancé's hand, I'm gonna."

Tony sighed heavily and smiled as much as he could. Tonight may not have ended up the way he wanted it to, but he had Jethro, and together they would get through anything that the world decided to throw at them.

They got to the café and ordered six coffees, and grabbed a bottle of orange juice. Tony snagged what he could in the way of snacks, and together they carried everything back to the group and passed it around. Tony was just about to sit down with his cup when the doors whooshed open, and Fornell and Galto came rushing in. Tony was back on his feet to greet them, and Gibbs stood by his side.

"Any update?" Galto asked Tony before Fornell could get a word out, out of breath from hobbling around on his boot and crutch.

"No. The doctor hasn't been back out. He's probably the same as before considering what we were told. Wait here. Grab a coffee." Tony left them to go to the nurse at the reception desk. "Hi," he began looking at her name tag. "Hi Danielle. The doctor said that once these two came in they were to be allowed to see Agent Malcom. Can you get someone to take them back there, please?"

The nurse smiled up at Tony. "Let me just get it verified, and I'll have someone out for them as soon as I can."

"Thank you," Tony said, smiling back, making sure it was just friendly and not flirty. He came back to see Fornell and Gibbs sitting silently next to each other, and Elly trying to console Galto. He stood back for a while and watched Elly. He was surprisingly calm as he talked Galto down from his frenzy, and he realized that Elly had been extremely grounded through the entire night except for when he was explaining his and Greg's hunt for Shane to Tiffany. He was surprised by it.

Elly had acted quickly when the shots were fired, and he had been the one holding pressure on Greg's shoulder after they were sure their perps were dead. He even made Tony keep talking to him until he knew for sure that the shot to the vest hadn't caused a broken rib. He knew it wasn't a fair situation to judge Greg on considering his connection to the case, but as he thought about it, Elly had been loose going into it all, yet focused.

Galto was looking calmer by the minute, and Elly even got him to put some cream into a cup of coffee and start sipping on it. A nurse came out to get the Feebs, and Tony watched as Elly smiled and squeezed Galto's shoulder as he got up, getting a nod from the guy. He still wasn't sure, but Elly was quickly earning points in his favor towards the SFA spot. Tony gave Fornell a nod as he went by as well, and watched the nurse lead them away.

They all sat silently in the waiting room drinking their drinks until Fornell finally came back out and plopped down in the seat on the other side of Gibbs.

"It doesn't matter how well you plan things like this, or how well you go by the books, there's always a chance this kind of stuff can happen. Doesn't make it suck any less, but that's the way it goes." His voice was quiet and defeated.

"How is he?" Tony asked across Gibbs, all eyes in their group on the older man.

"He doesn't look so good. They're pumping blood into him, but they had to go in and repair the artery. He lost a lot, and they aren't sure if there's going to be brain damage when he wakes up or not. That's why they put him under. The longer they keep him asleep, the better chance he has of the brain healing itself and getting over the shock right now. He'll probably be under for a couple of days they said." Fornell took a drink out of his coffee and propped his booted foot up on the coffee table.

"You going to stay?" Tony asked.

"Galto is in there with him now. Probably will be for a while. The kid feels completely responsible, but then again, so do I."

"Me, too," Tony said with a sardonic chuckle.

"Glad I'm not the only one," Elly said next to him. Tony reached out and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"Nothing any of us coulda done, kid. You did everything you could and more."

"He's my partner. He's my responsibility," Elly said with more than a little frustration.

"No," Tony said sternly, causing Elly to look up at him. "You both are _my_ responsibility. We look out for each other on a team, but at the end of the day, it's _my_ job to keep you two safe. We did what we could to ensure that safety, but this was one of those situations where we just couldn't know what we were walking into. We know that coming into this job though, and if we aren't willing to take that risk, we shouldn't be doing it. Two vicious men are dead now that weren't this morning, and we probably have saved countless kids' lives that are in that gang in L.A., and we've cut out a serious piece of pipeline that was being laid for the trafficking industry. This one might not end with a nice warm and fuzzy feeling, but not all of them will. That doesn't mean it's any less important."

"I guess the only thing left to decide then, is whether or not you're willing to keep taking that risk," Jethro said, looking at Tony. Everyone's eyes turned to Tony, and he took a deep breath, knowing that Jethro had just put the pressure on intentionally.

"You're thinking about leaving?" Elly asked quietly, sounding for all intents and purposes like a rejected kid.

Tony's eyes met his, and he knew that he had a promise to keep to him and Parke that was just as important as the one he made to Jethro earlier. He shook his head. "No, kid- I'm not leaving."

He saw the way Elly shuddered as he let out a deep breath and nodded.

Jethro leaned in and whispered in Tony's ear. "I'm as relieved as he is."

Tony turned and looked at Jethro, and he saw the genuine relief in his eyes.

"You may not be on my team anymore, but I still need you there," he whispered again. Tony pulled Jethro's hand to his lips for a quick kiss, and then began tracing a thumb over Jethro's ring.

"What the _hell_ is that?!" Fornell asked suddenly, seeing the band on Jethro's finger.

Jethro looked over at him in confusion, and then saw what Tony was doing. That's when he realized that he hadn't broken the news to Fornell yet.

"Tony asked me to marry him, and I said yes." He smiled at his old friend.

Fornell leaned forward to look past Jethro at Tony. "Holy shit, DiNozzo! I knew the two of you were serious, but you really think you want to get hitched to this guy for the rest of your life?"

Tony smiled up at Jethro. "I have no doubts," he said as he looked into the incredible blue eyes staring back at him. "None at all."


	37. Chapter 37

Tony pulled up behind Gibbs in their driveway. He put his car in park and turned the ignition over. After Tiffany and Shane had gotten to see Greg, they had called McGee to take them back to the Yard, and then had driven their cars home separately. Looking up at the house, he thought about how he still needed to get everything from his apartment and find room in Gibbs' house for it all. Finding the time was going to be a bitch. They were about to spend the weekend explaining to Jackson the developing nature of their relationship. As stressful as their night had been, it was about to be an even more stressful weekend, and on top of that, his team was supposed to be on call.

He wondered how well that was going to go with Parke out of the field for a while. He figured that he was going to have to make Dorneget a permanent fixture on his team to round things out, or chance needing to bring in someone with more experience, and he kind of liked the idea of having a fresh team to mold from the ground up. They would learn together both in the field and personally, and he hoped they would become as tightly bound as the MCRT. He decided he would talk to Vance about him being placed there until Parke was able to go back into the field as a test run.

He leaned back against the seat of his car for a moment, closed his eyes and sighed. He was still wound up. He had finally started to come down from the adrenaline rush of the night, and he was wired but exhausted. Everything seemed to suddenly be flying at him at a thousand miles per hour, and all he could do was watch it happen.

He heard the tap on the window and jumped. It was just Jethro looking at him curiously, wondering why he wasn't getting out. Tony smiled at him with tired eyes, then unbuckled his seatbelt to get out. He grabbed his bag from the back seat and took Jethro's outstretched hand. He hated to admit it, but he was feeling a bit clingy. He'd never been one to need someone like he needed Jethro, but after a night like that one, he wanted nothing more than to be near Jethro's side every second until morning.

They made their way into the house, the door closing behind them. Jethro sighed in relief that they had the house to themselves. Tiffany had offered to let Shane come home with her, and Jethro had never been so grateful.

They hung their coats up by the door, and Tony kicked off his shoes. Jethro watched every move he made, checking for any discomfort from the shot to the vest. Other than Tony rubbing his chest slightly now and then while they waited in the hospital, he hadn't shown any signs of pain, and Jethro wondered how much he was hiding it, or if he was just too keyed up to feel it all yet.

Tony turned to him, and with just one look in Tony's eyes, Jethro knew what they both needed. They had started this nightmare of a day with an exchange of lusty teases, and just the mere thought of Tony having him pressed against the wall earlier made his heart race. He'd returned fire in the elevator, and Tony's reception to his commands stirred the beast within. Thinking about the last time he had tied Tony up, and the relief it had brought both of them, he knew it was time to make good on his promise to make Tony beg for mercy.

Tony noticed the change in Jethro immediately as he moved towards him. The stress of the day was suddenly gone, and the authoritative Gibbs was in his place. He felt a tingle run down his back and the hairs on his neck and arms began rising. He suddenly ached inside for a release he hadn't realized he needed, and he knew that Jethro wanted to take him there.

As Jethro came closer and closer, Tony's heart beat harder and harder. When he was less than a foot away, he stopped and stared into Tony's eyes for a moment until he was sure they were on the same page. Jethro's eyes slowly scanned Tony's overdressed body, beginning with his lips, down Tony's chest and torso until he shamelessly checked to see if Tony was aroused yet. He wasn't disappointed to find Tony was starting to stiffen just from the anticipation of their silent agreement about how the rest of their night would go. He smirked and gave Tony a short, cocky chuckle.

Jethro's hand gently pressed Tony's chest until his lover's back hit the wall. Tony looked at him with smoldering eyes, and Jethro trapped Tony with a hand on each side of his body. Jethro's lips moved until they were only an inch away from Tony's ear, and he whispered into it. "What's your safeword?"

Tony felt himself sinking into the relief already. "Mercy," he whispered back.

"Don't forget it." His eyes met Tony's again, and he saw the yearning there, and he felt his own cock stir. He found himself drawn to Tony's lips, and he hovered an inch away from them, trying to restrain himself while making it seem like a tease to the man in front of him. "Go upstairs." He finally said, an edge to his voice that asked for defiance. "I'll be up soon, and when I get there, I want you naked, face down on the bed."

Tony nodded quickly, but when he went to move, Jethro didn't, which meant he slammed against him in his eagerness. Jethro's arms came around him to keep him in place and kissed him hard. Tony dissolved into the embrace and accepted the brutal kiss gratefully. He felt Jethro's hand in his hair, pushing their faces together even harder until suddenly that tug went in the other direction, and Tony groaned at the pleasurable pain that ran across his scalp.

Jethro watched Tony's eyes roll back into his head before the lids fluttered closed.

"Go," he said, finally stepping back so that Tony could move past him and up the stairs. Jethro watched him go without even looking over his shoulder, and he smirked at Tony's enthusiasm. He headed for the basement and opened his drawers, looking for something specific. He wondered if maybe it had ended up in the truck when he remembered where it was. He reached up on the top shelf and pulled down a tied up roll of flat cotton cord about two inches wide and twenty feet long. He used it to tie things down in the truck, but he knew that it would be much more comfortable than the fraying rope he used on Tony last time, and since he planned on keeping him tied up a lot longer than last time, he decided to grab it.

He was almost past the workbench when he saw the wide plastic spool of rubber that he had left over from insulating the back door frame. He took it down with a smirk and grabbed a box cutter. He cut a strip off, then took one end of the four inch piece of hard rubber and cut an inch off of both sides to be able to grab it. He wasn't sure what it was going to take to push Tony to the edge, but Jethro knew that he wanted to be taken there, wanted to be pushed. He had made it very evident since their discussion about the safe word, and every day that went by, with everything slipping more and more out of his control at work, he felt driven to transfer that drive to his sex life with Tony.

He tossed the knife back on the bench, and headed up the stairs thinking about what else he had around the house he could play with Tony with. He stopped in the laundry room and grabbed a couple of clothes pins, and then grabbed a candle and holder from the drawer in the kitchen where he kept them for when the power went out. He tried the lighter in the drawer to make sure it worked, and then slid it into his pocket with a smirk. The last thing he grabbed was the large green D shaped clip that Tony used for his keys. He left the keys spread out on the coffee table, and took the spring-locking clip with him upstairs.

When he got to the top of the stairs finally, he told Tony to close his eyes as he approached the door. Tony did, and Jethro trusted that. Jethro came in and carefully set the items he had down on the dresser, trying not to let anything make a clatter that would inform Tony of what he had. He once again grabbed one of Tony's darker and thicker ties from the closet. He came over to the bed and bent down, using one finger to tilt Tony's head up for a deep kiss and lingering look into his eyes before the tie was placed over them. No words were spoken during the exchange, and Jethro took a moment to stand off to the side of the bed and take in the sight of the beautiful body laid out for him like a sacrifice.

Tony had taken all of his clothes off, laid himself out on the bed, and from the mint Jethro still tasted on his lips, squeezed in a tooth brushing somewhere in there. He smiled and shook his head.

Going to the dresser, he picked up the flat rope and approached Tony. He found Tony's body tight and tense as he trailed kisses down his spine before starting in on the restraints.

"I'm going to do this differently than last time," Jethro said with a husky voice next to Tony's ear. "I want you completely bound and helpless, your only way out begging for my mercy." Tony groaned, and Jethro felt his cock twitch. He was definitely looking forward to this. He fed the flat rope under Tony's chest, then looped it around each bicep, tying a knot, then wrapping it around his back, under his chest again, and then finishing with a tight knot against his back, restraining him by pinning his arms to his side. He watched Tony testing the restraint unable to budge his knots. He smiled as Tony moaned low in his chest at the realization that he was starting to be immobilized.

"I like this kind of restraint because I can roll you onto your back or your front, and your arms won't fall asleep," Gibbs continued in his quiet, raw tone. He grabbed the normal length of rope he had under the bed, and started a series of knots that lead from around one of Tony's ankles to the other, a long stretch of cord with a loop knotted in the middle stretched between them. He grabbed the D-Clip and he pulled the loop through the footboard of the bed until the clip could link it with itself. Tony tested this restraint as well, and although he had much more slack than he did last time, he knew that he wouldn't be able to get out of bed, and that was good enough to make him feel that heady eroticism of restraint.

Gibbs ran his hands up Tony's back, then fingered the rope across them. He loved how he could see it digging into Tony's skin, confining him there in their own little world. He stood up with a happy sigh.

"You're so fucking beautiful, Tony."

"Well-"

"DON'T SPEAK." Jethro suddenly commanded fiercely. "The only words you're allowed to say from this point forward are your safeword, my name, and the sweet sounds of you begging for more. Don't make me gag you." He saw the slight nod from Tony, and nodded himself. "Good."

He slowly slid his jacket off, hanging it over the hook on the closet door. He pulled his polo over his head, and then his tee, all the time thinking about how he had a naked, bound Tony on the bed behind him, just waiting patiently to be taken. He left his shoes in the closet, unbuckled his belt, laid it on the dresser, and then stripped the rest of his clothes off before leaving Tony with one last reminder to stay still while he went into the bathroom to wash up.

Tony laid there feeling his excruciatingly hard cock pressing into the mattress, but his head was swimming to the point that he was able to ignore it for now. Jethro always seemed to know what buttons to push, and he knew that tonight would be the most extreme example of that. He had to admit though that from the first moment he heard Jethro walk into their bedroom, he felt the tension from the day starting to bleed out of his body in a trickle to be replaced by desire. As the cord wrapped around his body, he felt his head stop pounding and his tense stress changed to an arousal that flooded his body with much needed endorphins. He knew he couldn't get up, but he also knew that Jethro was taking responsibility for him, and that meant he was safe. He could finally relax for a minute.

He listened to every sound around him, from Jethro's noises in the bathroom to the wind picking up outside as an early spring storm tried to approach. He loved the anticipation, knowing that everything would happen on Jethro's time, and that all he had to do was trust his lover and they would both find the release they so desperately needed. He heard the water turn off, the tick-tick-tick of Jethro tapping the extra water off of his toothbrush, and then the click of the light switch turning off and taking the bathroom fan with it.

Jethro took in Tony's body again. There was so much he wanted to do to it, and he knew that Tony would accept it all. He had his very own playground lying in front of him, and he was eager to play. He moved over to the bed and ran one finger down one of Tony's arms, making him sigh. He let that finger trail up and down the arm again, down his spine, outlining one of his tempting ass cheeks, and then down his thigh and leg until it ran across the bottom of his foot, causing a knee-jerk reaction that painfully reminded Tony that he was restrained.

Tony groaned quietly to himself as he felt the situation truly slipping out of his control. He tried to let it go, but a part of him was still holding on, and that internal battle was just as sweet as what he expected he had ahead of him for the night. He could almost hear Jethro's smirk as his leg jerked up from the tickling finger running across the bottom of his foot. He'd never been a big fan of being tickled, but the way his legs were bound from moving only a few inches above the mattress made it impossible to escape Jethro's touch. He took a deep breath and tried to settle in again now that his lover had moved to the other side of the bed to repeat the action of tracing his body slowly.

Jethro had felt an odd grounding sensation come over him as Tony tried to jerk away from the way his finger glided across his foot. He knew that there was very little Tony could do right now, and that his lover was trying to turn over power to him for the night. He heard Tony's struggle in the way that he forced himself to breathe deep and settle down. He took the offered control solemnly and gratefully, and he silently vowed that he would not abuse it and make sure they were both enjoyed everything they did.

Jethro's finger reached Tony's foot again and instead of tickling the heel, he ran his finger over the top of Tony's foot. He heard Tony sigh in relief, and that small act of mercy set the mood for the rest of the night between them.

Looking over the items he'd brought up from the basement, Jethro picked up his modified piece of plastic molding. It was approximately four inches wide with groves running through the center of it in an inch strip. He went over to the bed and undid the D-clip so that the rope that connected Tony's ankles wasn't attached to the foot board anymore. He moved Tony's legs, feeling his blood boil through his body as he realized how pliable Tony was. He pushed Tony up on his knees and stacked the pillows in a tall pile that he placed under Tony's head.

With his ass sticking up in the air, Tony had to wonder what was coming next. He didn't think Jethro was going to start fucking him right off the bat, but he knew that would happen eventually. He felt his breath coming faster and his heart racing as he waited, alert, for what was going to happen next.

Jethro looked at Tony's flushed body and knew that he was anxious still despite everything. He decided that the rubber paddle-whip he'd made would have to wait a minute. He instead rubbed Tony's ass with his hands, squeezing before he reared back and spanked it hard enough to leave a perfect pink handprint.

Tony groaned, all thoughts suddenly evaporating. He was lost in the sensation of that hand on his ass and the scorching pain that shot through him. He felt the action repeat on his other cheek and a sharp breath escaped him. A few more quick smacks landed across his butt without breaks between them and he moaned again.

"You like that?" Jethro asked with that same raw voice as earlier.

"Mmmmyeah," Tony managed right before another series of spanks. He'd never really been one for spanking, or at least being spanked, but Jethro wasn't trying to play it out as part of a fantasy scenario, and he was able to get lost in it simply as the sensation it was. Suddenly though, it was no longer a hand smacking him, but something that stung even more sharply, and Tony had no idea what it was. All he knew was that his ass was on fire, and between each smack, Jethro would reach between his legs and run that teasing finger across the head of his cock, making him whimper and groan, whimper and groan.

Jethro watched as Tony's ass turned bright red in front of him. Tony seemed to be enjoying the spanking more than he expected him to. He was surprised by how much he was enjoying it himself. He'd whack Tony's perfect ass with the rubber piece, and then reach forward, tracing his finger around the head of Tony's cock, smearing precum as he did so, then let the rubber crack down on Tony again. The grunts and groans Tony was making made him want to keep going, but he knew that Tony would have to sit down at some point tomorrow, and he didn't want to make the pain he was feeling too obvious. He finally stopped his assault and leaned forward to rub his hands reassuringly down Tony's back and leave a trail of kisses in their wake down his lover's spine. He felt Tony shiver at the contrast of the gentle touch to the spanking and whispered in his ear, "Your highs, your lows, all of your in-betweens, now belong to me."

Jethro finally got down off the bed, and he saw Tony sag against the pillows and mattress. He could see the heavy rise and fall of Tony's panting body from across the room as he lit the candle and picked up the clothespins. He put the candle on the nightstand and then rolled Tony over on his back, rearranging the pillows under his lover's head before straddling him.

Tony felt Jethro's strong hands on his arms, turning him over on his back. Their strength was reassuring, and when Jethro straddled him, he moaned long and low at their contact. Jethro's lips found his and they swapped a slow, lazy kiss that Tony wanted to get lost in forever. He felt Jethro's hands on his chest, rubbing and tweaking his nipples that stuck out between the two passes of cord, and sighed into the kiss. He forgot the rest of the world. All he could think about where the sensations running through his body; Jethro's hands on his chest, the way their kissing made him feel like he was melting into his lover, the stinging burn of his ass and the ropes that bound him safely to Jethro's care.

Jethro was tracing patterns across Tony's chest in the sheen of sweat there, pinching his pert nipples with every pass. He took a nipple in each hand and pinched hard as he bit Tony's lower lip, causing Tony to gasp. He sat up and looked down at the man beneath him. He was starting to regret the blindfold, wishing he could see Tony's incredible eyes looking up at him instead, but he knew the lack of vision was heightening the sensations for Tony, and he wasn't about to take that away from him yet. He reached for the clothes pins and pulled on Tony's left nipple, then clipped it, making the man below him hiss. He did the same with the right nipple, earning a hiss and wiggle from Tony.

He saw Tony's chest rising and falling faster again, and he wondered if it was because of the pleasure, the pain, or both. He reached forward and flicked each clothes pin as they stood up straight from Tony's chest. They wobbled and Tony's groin arched off of the bed, raising them both up.

"Stop!" Jethro commanded, and Tony exhaled, dropping back down onto the bed. He reached down and stroked Tony's cock, making him moan and settle deeper into the pillows under him.

"Yes… please… don't stop…" Tony begged quietly as Jethro made a few more passes over his cock. Jethro growled quietly. He loved hearing Tony's pleas, especially when he knew that he had all of the power.

"You want me to keep going? You want me to make you come?" Jethro asked quietly as he stroked. Tony's body shivered hard under him.

"Yes! Yes, please, God, Yes!" Tony was shaking now as Jethro let his fingers graze Tony's balls.

"No," he said with that quiet voice of authority that Tony had been clinging to all night. "You are not to come until I tell you to, understood?" The keening noise that came from Tony's throat made Jethro's cock twitch hard. "Answer the question!" Jethro barked.

"Yes!" Tony gasped out as Jethro gave him one last stroke before climbing off of his body.

Jethro moved Tony's legs so that they were pushed up against his stomach, and used the D-Clip to link the rope that held his ankles together to the rope going across his chest. Once he was secured, Jethro rolled him back over so he was face down in the pillows. The candle next to the bed had started melting and running down the sides. Jethro picked it up and looked down at Tony's back, watching it glisten with sweat.

"Take a deep breath," he commanded, and Tony did so immediately. Jethro tipped the candle over Tony, letting little white splatters of wax fall across his back a couple at a time.

Tony felt the sudden piercing heat start tapping along his back, and he couldn't let the air out of his lungs. Every little drop that fell on him made his cock twitch underneath him, and he heard Jethro's voice echoing in his head over and over again that he wasn't allowed to come. The incredible mixture of pain and pleasure made every inch of him feel like it was on fire, and it seemed to last forever before Jethro's hands started gliding across his back, picking the dried pieces of wax off of him one by one, making him shiver as goose bumps bristled across his skin.

When he had gotten all of the wax pieces off of Tony, Jethro reached between Tony's legs and stroked his cock a few times, making Tony groan and whine, and then undid the D-Clip. He rolled Tony back over, and then helped him sit up with his back against the headboard. Once he had him comfortable, he once again straddled Tony's lap, and took his own cock in his hand, rubbing it across Tony's lips, which immediately parted to take him in.

"I love how you're always so eager to please me. I miss having you at my beck and call at work, but that's okay, as long as I can do this," he said, pushing forward until he felt his head slip past the back of Tony's mouth and into his throat. He felt Tony try not to gag and smirked when he not only got it under control, but pushed his head forward to take more of him. Jethro wound Tony's hair through his fingers, setting up and push and pull rhythm as Tony sucked him off.

"So fucking good… you're so… so incredible, Tony," Jethro said through his own pants and gasps.

Tony was flying high as Jethro plunged into his mouth over and over again. He really was eager to please the man that had been setting every nerve in his body on fire for the past hour, but Jethro's work comment took that eagerness somewhere even deeper in him, and he promised himself that he was about to give the best blow job ever. He licked and sucked and swallowed and thrusted his head forward and back as he took Jethro's girth down his throat again and again.

When he felt Jethro reach down and grab his cock though, Tony moaned around the dick in his throat. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to last much longer as was, and with Jethro's hand stroking him so expertly, he knew he didn't have a chance to restrain himself. He began shaking hard as he fought his body's natural urge to come, and Jethro felt the shaking under his fingers. Jethro smirked, leaning forward to whisper down at Tony as he kept pulling him forward and backwards over his cock.

"You're trying so hard not to come. You're not allowed to though. I don't want you to come until I'm fucking that tight ass of yours, got it?" Jethro shoved his cock back down Tony's throat and held him there for a moment, then moved Tony's head like a nod. He then pulled Tony's head off of him and sat back, letting him breathe for a moment.

Jethro couldn't take it anymore. He reached down and pulled the tie off of Tony's eyes. Tony opened his lids slowly, and Jethro's heart pounded even more wildly in his chest when he saw the heavy glaze coated green eyes that looked back at him with perfect trust. He sat back and took Tony's lips in a heated kiss that conveyed as much love as it did passion. Tony kissed Jethro back with everything in him, suckling his tongue, lips, and his tongue again.

When Jethro's hand started stroking Tony again with long, slow strokes, Tony couldn't take it anymore. He felt like he was going to shatter into thousands of pieces, never to be put back together again. He was fighting off the pleasure with whatever sad and gory idea who could think of, but there was that tongue in his mouth, and those skilled fingers around his cock, teasing the head with each pass. There was the overwhelming scent of the sweaty man in his lap that Tony wanted to snort up and remember forever. To top it all off, there was the stinging pain in his ass, across his back, in his nipples and the way the ropes were cutting into his arms, all feeding the overwhelming pool of sensations running through his body.

He had to pull out of the kiss.

"Please, Jethro! Please! Fuck me! Let me come! Please!" Tony's pleading voice and even more desperate eyes were hard to resist, but Jethro did.

"No. Not yet," he said before sucking on Tony's neck, making Tony squirm. "Hold still!" Jethro said, placing his free hand on Tony's shoulder while he worked on his neck. Tony's head fell onto Jethro's shoulder, gasping for air as the need for release made him feel like he was going to pass out. Jethro bit down hard on his neck, while at the same time wrapping his thumb and forefinger around the base of Tony's cock, staving off his orgasm. Tony's head flung back and he yelled at the top of his lungs, needing some kind of release even if not sexual.

Jethro reached up and slipped two fingers into Tony's open mouth, and Tony immediately began sucking on them. "You must be missing my cock," he said, leaning in to whisper into Tony's ear. He knelt back up so that his own leaking member was in front of Tony's face again. Taking his fingers out of Tony's mouth, he grabbed Tony's chin and pulled it forward to start sucking him off again. Tony tried desperately to get Jethro to come so that he could as well, but no matter what trick he tried, Jethro managed to hold off. Tony couldn't take it anymore. He needed the release. He pulled back out of Jethro's hold, and started begging.

"Please let me come! Please, Jethro! I'll do anything! Just, please fuck me and come with me! I need you!"

"All it takes is one word, and this all will stop. One little word," he said, leaning in to suck on Tony's neck again.

"I don't want it to stop!" Tony cried. "I just need to come! Please! Let me come and you can keep doing whatever you want to me! Anything!"

Jethro looked down at Tony's flushed body and the way he was shivering and twitching. He couldn't deny those pleading eyes anymore. He leaned in and whispered in Tony's ear. "Say it."

"But then you'll stop!" Tony cried. "Please don't stop!"

"Say it, and I'll finish taking care of you. I'll always take care of you, Tony. Always." Jethro's hand resumed its excruciating pace over Tony's engorged cock.

"Oh, God! I can't hold it anymore, Jethro! You need to stop!" Tony begged, the sounds escaping him almost like sobs.

"Say it, and I'll stop."

"MERCY! FUCK! MERCY! Please! Fuck me! Let me come!" Tony felt Jethro's hand leave his cock immediately and then he was rolled over onto his stomach as Jethro undid the knot on his back, then the knots at his arms. His arms could barely hold him up with how weak they were, but he held on tightly to the headboard as Jethro lubed his cock and plunged into him.

"God, Tony! I thought you'd never say it!" Jethro said as he ran his hands all over Tony's back and stomach, all the while plunging in and out of his ass.

Tony started feeling the strength returning to his hands and slammed back again and again against Jethro's thrusts. They smashed into each other again and again, Jethro's balls slapping and swinging against Tony's cheeks, making them raw. He felt the sudden heat flaring up at the base of his spine, crackling with energy like a ball of lightning, and he shouted out.

"Come for me, Tony! Come with me!" Jethro yelled over the noise, and on command, Tony came so hard that he blacked out while Jethro filled him with his release.

* * *

When Tony came around, he was rope-less and Jethro was staring into his face, brushing his hair out of his eyes with a tiny smile that looked so perfectly content that it took Tony off guard.

"You okay?" Jethro asked quietly.

"Oh, yeah," Tony groaned out with a dazed and hazy smile. "You?"

Jethro nodded and stroked the side of Tony's face. His blue eyes searched Tony's green eyes for any signs of unhappiness, and he couldn't find any. There was nothing staring back at him but perfect trust, joy and love. He felt in awe as the dreamy feeling finally cleared and the reality that the man in front of him had actually proposed to him, and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, settled in.

"I really, truly, love you, Tony. I still can't believe that you actually want to spend the rest of our lives together. I keep wondering when I'm going to wake up from whatever coma I've slipped into this time, and find out that this never happened."

Tony turned his head to kiss the palm that lay against his face.

"You're not dreaming, and this isn't a coma. This is real life, and I really want to spend this real life with you, and only you."

"Good, because I'd probably never come back from Mexico this time if I woke up and we weren't together."

"I'd stalk your ass down! I am not going through that again! I'd be right there on your tail, and there would be no getting away once I caught up with you," Tony smiled and Jethro chuckled. "If we weren't together already, we would have been."

Tony watched as Jethro's blue eyes sparkled. He had never seen them shine so brightly. He looked so happy, and it was beautiful. To think that he could be part of the cause of it was humbling. "Thank you for everything today. You have no idea how much it means to me that you have my back like you do."

"Tony, it doesn't matter how great or how horrible your day goes, I will always be there for you; every day for the rest of our lives."

"Especially when we get to end the day with mind-blowing sex like that! I mean, I think we do pretty damn well, but that was… whoa. There's not words for what that was. I never really got into all of that before, and it's not something I'd want to do all of the time, but _once_ in a while we definitely need to go there."

Jethro chuckled sheepishly, and Tony found it to be a stark contrast to the man that had just taken him for such a wild ride.

"I'm glad, because no matter how much I have enjoyed tonight, it's not something I'd want to make a habit of."

Tony nodded with a smile and curled up against Jethro, feeling the strong arms wrap him in a tight embrace as they lay there together. "Love you, Jethro."

"You too, Tony."

They slipped into a deep sleep, held tightly in one another's arms.

When the alarm went off the next morning, the smell of coffee was thick in the air. Tony rolled over to shut off the clock's obnoxious noise, and then smiled at Jethro who was pulling the pillow out from under him and covering his head with it. Tony chuckled to himself in surprise at the vision in front of him. He was eager to get to the hospital and see Greg though, so he leaned forward and cautiously tried to pull the pillow off of Jethro's head. He heard the man underneath the pillow growl, and he laughed.

"Jethro? There's coffee brewing downstairs. By the smell of it, I think it's already done." Tony was all smiles as Jethro lifted the edge of the pillow and sniffed the air. "Smells like a strong pot. Nice and hot." He watched as Jethro slowly lowered the pillow off of his face and ran his hands over his eyes as he yawned. "There ya- GO!" He yelped as Jethro's arms came around him and he was flung over onto his back. Jethro rolled on top of him, kissing him so hard it took his breath away. When they finally backed away, Tony gasped over and over again for air, and he could see that Jethro's chest was rising and falling in sudden heaves as well.

"That was- WOW. That's all I got." Tony reached up and pulled him back down for another kiss and was just as blown away by how tender this one was.

"Love you, Tony," Jethro said softly, looking down into Tony's face as he ran his hand through Tony's hair.

"Love you, too, Jethro," Tony said with a smile.

"I have a favor I want to ask you, but you can feel free to say no." Jethro looked nervous as he looked down at Tony's chest then up into his eyes.

"Anything," Tony answered, a serious tone settling over them.

"After work today, I was thinking we could get my team, and your team, other than Parke of course, and maybe go pack up your apartment. I think things will go easier when I explain us to Dad if it really felt like you lived here, and I really _want_ it to _feel_ like you live here, for us."

Tony finally understood how nervous Jethro really was about telling Jackson about them. He knew that Jethro and his dad didn't have the best track record, but he also knew it was still better than his own with his dad. He hadn't really wanted his team going through all of his stuff, but he really liked the idea of finally being moved into Jethro's house and settling in.

"We can do that. I'm on call all weekend, and I'm really hoping that we don't get a case. I want to be here with you and Jackson, spend some time with the family." Tony smiled up at Jethro, who was smiling back at him.

"Thanks, Tony. It's going to be hard enough coming out to him in my fifties without explaining that the man I am marrying is living with me, but none of his stuff is here because we're both workaholics that have spent the past couple of weeks getting blown up and then shot at." They both chuckled.

"We may be workaholics, but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way," Tony said with a smile, reaching up and playing with a piece of Jethro's short silver hair that was sticking up.

"Okay, I need coffee, and I know you're dying to get out of here and check on Parke." Jethro rolled off Tony, threw on a tshirt and boxers before he made his way downstairs.

Tony couldn't stop smiling as he crawled out of bed and stretched, heading for the shower. He felt like the luckiest man on the Earth, and he knew that things were only getting better.

* * *

Tony sent a mass text to everyone on both teams and the basement team of Abby, Ducky and Jimmy, asking if they would be free that night and willing to help them pack up his stuff and move.

Tim was the first to text back.

_I'll bring the beer, and Abby said she's going to grab some snacks._

Tony smiled down at his phone. Critten's came next.

_We going straight from work? I'll bring a change of clothes._

Tony replied back that he would need to stop for boxes, but they'd pretty much be going right over. He knew that Elly would jump on any chance to be included. He decided to make it his personal mission to make sure the kid felt included in not only the agency, but the team family. He knew that he had a lot of talent, but Elly needed that reason to be there, that reason to stay. Tony understood that. He had been looking for it for years, going through three different police departments and transplanting himself each time until he landed right where he was and found that it was where he belonged. He knew that Elly belonged where he was, and he was going to prove it to him.

Ducky and Palmer were on board, though Palmer would be coming from class and would probably only be there for the unloading.

Ziva was the last one to reply back, asking if he minded if Dion came along, and he smiled and shook his head. He was happy that they had gotten over her suspicions while he was away, and seemed to be moving forward. He didn't see himself becoming very close with Dion, but he was glad that Ziva had someone so different in her life than her usual flavors of disaster.

He chuckled to himself as he walked into the hospital that morning as he realized that anyone that he would have gotten along with probably would have been under extreme suspicion. He didn't want to see her with someone in their field, or any related field. Her entire life had always been focused around espionage and police work, and he believed that she deserved to be able to step away from that and have a real life. He thought about all of this as he headed through the hospital hallways, thinking about how lucky he was to have Jethro, and how much he wished the same for his friends.

Tony knocked on Greg's door quietly enough to just alert to him that he was there.

"Hey, Boss! Didja come to spring me?" Greg's demeanor reminded him a lot of himself whenever Jethro would come to get him after he was released from the many stints he'd stayed in the hospital for some injury or another. That made him smile.

"I think your wife is coming to do that in a few minutes. I saw her and Shane parking the car on my way in. Wanted to come check in on you. They wouldn't let me back last night; only next of kin." Tony came to sit down in the chair next to the bed. "Tiff and Shane said you were doing well though, so I finally got some sleep."

"Yeah. You know, I really wasn't looking forward to being shot, but I'm really looking forward to never being shot again. It's not even the pain, it was that ultra-serious look you and Elly had that made me wonder just how bad it really was. Normally, I can read people like a book- you know, their twitches, their expressions, the way their eyes move- all things I've been trained to observe, but neither of you were giving away _anything_. I couldn't tell if you were lying when you said I'd be okay or not." Greg stared off into space and shook his head.

"Well, you know, that's what _we've_ been trained to do. I spent years on police forces before NCIS, and though Elly wasn't in the field, he still had academy training. He really surprised me yesterday. Kid is usually so hyper that I thought he'd really flip out, but it's almost like he calmed down. I was thinking about it last night, and I realized that this is only the second time either of you have had to fire your weapons during a case. I'm impressed with you both. You handled it really well." Tony smiled proudly at his agent.

"You need to make sure you tell Elly that. He'd appreciate it. Speaking of firing your weapon! Damn, Boss! I know you said you'd rough the guy up for me, but you _shot him in the face!_ "

It was at that point that Tony realized Greg had opted for the pain meds. He suppressed the chuckle in his throat and just shrugged. "Protect my own. Told you guys that the night we got back from the Americana, and I meant it."

He was saved by Tiffany and Shane coming into the room. They all said their hellos, and Tony informed Greg that he was to stay home for the weekend, except for dinner at his and Jethro's house on Sunday, to which he extended the invite to Tiffany and Shane. Greg smiled and told him they'd all be there, and then Tony headed out, leaning in to whisper in Shane's ear to watch out for the pain meds. Shane chuckled and nodded, patting Tony on the shoulder on the way out

As he headed for his car, he considered everything that he had to make sure was done by the end of the day. He knew that there was a report to write up, but it was more of an extension to the case they had already written the report for last week. He had to call around to find a place that sold boxes, but he was sure he could find that easily enough. He decided that his first priority was to go have a talk with Vance about Dorneget. He pulled out his phone and shot him a quick email.

He laughed to himself quietly. He would never have been making plans to go talk to Vance about anything a month ago, but now he was trying to find the time. He wondered if he should invite him to dinner on Sunday, and then decided against it. They were closer than they used to be, but he didn't want to make the rest of the team nervous or uncomfortable. He smiled to himself though as he decided he would definitely be invited to the wedding.

He considered the wedding as he drove back to the Yard. He had no ideas about what he wanted it to be like. If he had his way, it would be extremely simple. For him, it all boiled down to the vows and the company. He figured Jethro would be the same way. He was going to need some time to write those vows though. Life was too hectic to do that right now with having a new team, moving in with Jethro, and still breaking the news to everybody. Yeah, his team knew, his closest friends knew, and Jackson would know by the end of the week, but what about everybody else? He laughed to himself as he pulled into the Yard remembering Fornell's reaction to seeing Jethro's ring the night before. It was classic, and he tucked it away as a tale to be retold later on in life over beers with Jethro.

A few minutes later, he was in the bullpen, and he noticed that McGee was alone on the MCRT side.

"Gibbs and Ziva aren't back yet from their interview?" he asked over the wall.

"Not yet, but they're on their way. They got the information they needed. Self-defense." McGee looked up with a nod, then went back to his paperwork.

"Ugh, is that the NC-72 form?" Tony cringed as he realized what McGee was filling out.

"Yes! This thing is archaic! What do you normally put for section F?"

Tony smiled to himself and came around the wall to pull up a chair next to Tim and go over the form with him. They went over changes they would like to see done to the form, and they decided they would work a new version up and propose the change together.

"So, have you decided who is going to be your SFA?" Tim asked Tony quietly. Tony was glad that they were alone in the bullpen with Gibbs and Ziva still out, and Critten coming in for a half-day after their late night before.

"I'm torn, actually. I really like what they both bring to the table. I think it's going to be Critten though. I'd been thinking Parke, and he'd be great, but so would Elly, and he deserves it. I miss you guys already, but they are both incredible to work with, and they have so much potential.

"I am really hoping I can get you to work with Critten more. He practically idolizes you, and you guys can learn all of this stuff together. I can go over the more screwed up forms with both of you at the same time when you have questions. He seems to be a quick study to all your techie doodads. If you end up with some free time, Gibbs said I'm allowed to steal you to work with him, so let me know if you find some somewhere under this mountain of paperwork." Tony started shuffling through the unusually cluttered desk. "What is all of this anyway?"

"I'm still trying to figure it all out. I have no idea. I came in and there was a stack of forty-two different forms collated on my desk. And I don't think Gibbs put them there, so I don't know where they came from." Tony laughed at Tim's confused and leary expression.

"I'll go over them all with you after we get our reports done over there. I'm still doing the SFA paperwork for my team, too, so when I get to that part, I'll call you over."

"Thank you! Oh, thank you! Gibbs tries, but it's hard to learn from a functional mute. I need words, not pointing."

Tony gave Tim a fake glare. "Careful there, Timbo! That's my fiancé you're talking about!"

"Uhhh…" Tim tried to think of how to respond, but Tony laughed, unable to contain himself.

"You know, he does actually talk! Surprising, I know, but I've known that for a lot longer than the past month." Tony picked up a stack of forms, confused about where in the world the outdated thing had come from. They hadn't used it since 2005. He turned around and started feeding them into the shredder. He saw Tim's odd glance and shrugged. "This one is outdated."

"How long have you…" Tim looked confused, and Tony tried to figure out what he was asking. He realized what he had said about Jethro and a shy smile fell over his mouth.

"There was a time that it was just he and I on the team, back in the day. We've been friends a long time, Tim. What we have now is nothing like what we've _had_ , but he's always been there for me, since before I even came to NCIS. That's how I ended up here. He knew what had happened with Danny, and he… he wouldn't let me let go of a job that I love doing. So, I ended up here, and now… here we are. Life's just funny like that, sometimes." Tony shrugged.

"Not to get all Lifetime, but I think this might be the first real discussion we've ever had." Tim smirked at Tony.

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, well, who knew I had it in me to be mature and all that?" He went to get up to go see if Vance was free, and Tim's voice stopped him.

"I think we all did, we just never thought you'd own up to it."

Tony stared back at Tim for a moment. "I guess I just needed something worth taking the chance to try it out."

"And Gibbs is that something." Tim's words were a statement, not a question.

"He's always been that something." Tony took a step back towards Tim's desk. "I can tell you what all 42 of those forms are for, what each field's purpose is in the long run, and how to process each one, and I've known that since my first year with him. The two of us set the standards for half of the processes used today in the agency in those first couple of years together. Before you, before Kate, before Vivian, it was the two of us. The only difference between now and a month ago is that everything that means anything to me is out in the open for everyone to see." Tony shrugged. " _That's_ the chance I took- letting you all know just how much it means to me."

Tim nodded, and Tony turned around to head up the stairs. He found Vance staring over the railing at him. He had obviously heard a good portion of what they had just been talking about, and he waited for Tony to join him.

"And here I thought Gibbs being a hard ass is what set the standard," he said with a smirk.

"If no one would have met his expectations, then someone would have eventually made him lower the bar. Takes two to tango, Director."

Vance slowly nodded at him. "Point taken. How's Agent Parke?"

"He's good. He's on plenty of pain meds, and it was a through and through. He's probably home already and annoying the crap out of his wife and brother." Tony smirked.

"Good. I got your email. I have a few minutes. Let's go to my office." Tony nodded and followed him. Once inside, they sat at the conference table together.

"I am going to be a man down for a few weeks while Parke heals. It's his right shoulder, and he's right handed. I was thinking it would be the perfect opportunity to give Dorneget a trial run on the team to see if he has a prayer of fitting in." Tony saw the surprise on Vance's face. "I'm not saying that it's a sure thing that I want him on the team, but I think a month's trial would be a good place to start. That gives him time to fit in, and when Parke is completely back in the game, if Dorneget's still doing well, meeting expectations, we'll go through to the end of summer and evaluate if he wants to stay with us, or see if he'd be a better fit with another team."

"You know," Vance started. "I really had no intentions of him sticking with you or ending up on your team. I know he's got a backwards sense of things. You'd never know meeting him that his bumbling idiot storefront hosts a mind that can do what we need him to be prepared to do in MTAC one day. That's why he's here, but he's going to have to be sanded down first, and I had expected Gibbs' rough file to be the one working on him." Vance shrugged. "I figured you'd be more likely to get the social awkwardness under control to a level that would keep Gibbs from killing him and then turn him over, but if you want to try working with him, see if he can really mesh well with your team, go for it. I'm not going to stop you."

Tony smirked. "I kind of like the idea of having such a fresh team. I feel like I'm really starting to see all of the great facets of Critten and Parke being brought to the surface. They aren't afraid to tell me what they want to be doing, and we're doing it. Critten is going to be working with McGee, and I'll be training them both he and McGee on SFA stuff. I'll probably train Parke in some of it, too though. I think sharing some of the work load would be good for them. They're both responsible and capable, and after spending a decade buried under all of these forms, I can tell you that it would have been nice to have a little help sometimes. It was always nice when Gibbs would come in to give me a hand."

"Speaking of Gibbs giving you a hand!" Vance suddenly said. "Looks like he said 'yes'."

"Yeah, he did." Tony's smiled reached his eyes, and he looked down at where his fingertips were tapping on the table. "I've never been happier," he admitted.

"I have never seen _him_ look this happy, either." Vance gave Tony a smile and a shake of his head.

"Me neither. I still can't believe it."

"I still can't believe that the two of you are together, but hell, it would take an unbelievable relationship to see the changes I've seen happen around here in the past month." Vance took out a toothpick and stuck it in his teeth. Tony nodded in agreement.

"Tell me about it. Well, I think I'm going to go talk to Dorney. He's sulking back in the basement now that he doesn't have to babysit Shane." Tony got to his feet, and Vance did too to move to his desk.

"I'll send you the paperwork you'll need."

"Oh, yes. Can't forget the paperwork," Tony groaned as he headed towards the door.

"If you thought the paperwork an SFA had to do was bad…"

"Come on!" Tony said in cheerful disbelief as he went to open the door. "Gibbs didn't just help me with my paperwork- I've helped him with his _plenty_ of times." Tony could hear Vance chuckling as the door swung shut behind him. He nodded to Pam at her desk, then went to find Dorneget.

* * *

Gibbs and Ziva came into the bullpen as Tony was coming down the stairs. Tony caught Gibbs' eye and they smiled at each other, but nothing else was said.

"McGee, pull up the information on Ivert."

"Yes, Boss," Tim said, immediately bringing up the information and forwarding it to the plasma.

"We're really going to have to sell this with the forensics. What were you and Abby able to determine?" Gibbs' voice faded away as Tony moved across the room and down the stairs until he couldn't hear it at all when the door closed behind him. He let it settle into him, and he smiled to himself as he thought about the night before and that morning.

He opened the door to the evidence garage and peeked his head in. He saw Dorneget sitting behind his desk as he worked on the logs, or rather stared off into space with the logs in front of him. He let the door close behind him and announced himself. Other than Dorney, he was the only one there. He almost laughed at the surprised look on the younger agent's face when he shouted his hello and made him jump ten feet in the air. He decided he needed to hold it in though considering how seriously he needed Dorney to understand what he was about to tell him. He knew that he'd always been perceived as a big goofball by the younger man, and this needed to be handled maturely.

He pulled one of the stools into the small area that Dorney's desk was in, and sat down on it.

"We need to talk about something," he started. Dorney's eyes went huge with fear.

"Oh, God. McGee told you, didn't he? I swear! I never would have hit on you, or flirted with you, or asked you out or anything like that!"

Tony was in shock for a quick moment, then slapped Dorney in the back of the head. _Now I know why Gibbs started doing that to me,_ he thought to himself.

"First of all, I've already known that for a long time. Second, Gibbs would have killed you."

"Oh. I didn't realize Agent Gibbs had a problem with gay people." Tony looked at the way Dorney's face fell and his whole demeanor crashed.

"Oh, trust me, he doesn't! Uh…" Tony knew that what he was about to do would probably come back to bite him in no time, but he realized that he'd opened his big mouth, and now he had to fess up. He rubbed the back of his head with his hand, and looked across the room for a moment. "Oh, boy. Dorney, listen. The reason why I left the MCRT was because Gibbs and I are in a relationship. Actually, we're recently engaged."

Dorney looked at him like he didn't believe him, and Tony nodded, making direct eye contact to show he was serious. The silent affirmation made Dorney's eyes grow wide again, and his mouth dropped open to make such a truly shocked expression that Tony thought he might pass out.

"There's a lot going on under the surface of everything around here, and though you know a lot of people, it's critical that you understand how secret this has to stay. I'm telling you because you're assigned to me for the next month while Parke recovers." He watched the shock slowly change to excitement, and smiled. "I've read over your file. You have some pretty specific talents- talents that the agency is really going to need in the upcoming years. In order to get to that point where you can really start using them though, you're going to have to make it through being a field agent for a while. Over the next month, you're going to get your feet wet, and we're going to see what to do from there." Dorneget nodded, and Tony continued.

"The people who know about Gibbs and I include Greg, Elly, McGee, Ziva, Abby, Ducky, and Palmer. Oh, and Vance, but you are never to say anything to anyone that might for some reason go far enough to reach his ears and let him know that you know. Gibbs and I were discussing what to do about being on the same team when Vance approached me to fill in for Kathy Simmons while she was on maternity leave, and we discovered some serious flaws in her time as Team Lead. She was furious when Vance gave me her position. If you let anything get outside of this ring of people I've mentioned, she _will_ claim an unfair bias that we'll have to fight forever, and in the meantime, she could regain control of the team, and she isn't the kind of person that's going to patiently train you and work with you. I want to take the time to do that."

"So, this could be a permanent thing?" Dorney asked.

"It could. Or we could decide you need to work with Gibbs' team eventually since he has more experience in MTAC, and I know eventually, if we put in the work together, we could be grooming you to work in there on high classification projects." Dorney's eyes went wide again.

"Me?"

"Uh! Yeah! Do you have any idea how off the charts your scores were in strategic planning and analysis?" Tony shook his head.

"They were the classes I liked, but I guess I just focused more on the things I wasn't good at, because everyone gave me such a hard time with that stuff."

Tony nodded his understanding. "Well, kid, we've got a lot of work to do, but if you're up for it, I'm up for it."

Dorney smiled and nodded.

"It's going to seem like I'm ragging on you sometimes, and sometimes, yeah, I probably am, but we're going to work on your professional people skills pretty intensely. You've got the friendly people skills down, but I'll teach you how to use them to be sneaky when you need to, and what to listen for when people talk. You'll develop your own way of doing things over time, but I'm going to point out all of those little things that you do that opens the door for those awkward moments that stand in your way of fitting in on a team of agents." Tony really didn't want to be so blunt, but he knew that if he didn't come right out and say it, it wasn't going to sink in. He saw Dorney take in a deep breath and exhale. He knew that he'd hit a nerve, but it was a situation that Dorney obviously knew needed to be addressed. Tony could tell by the look on his face as he swallowed hard and nodded.

"Okay. I can do that. I can do this."

" _We_ can do this. I'm not going to leave you alone through this, kid. While you're with my team, no matter how long it is, you're one of mine, and I take care of my own." Tony saw the same look in Dorney's eyes as the guys had when he had said that to them. Hopeful, desperate to believe him, but hesitant. Something about that look was a soft spot in him. He knew the feeling all too well. He remembered feeling it in that moment that Gibbs dropped him off in front of NCIS HR.

"Now what kinds of questions do you have?"

"Do I get to move my stuff up into the bullpen?" Tony nodded. "Awesome! Okay, and I get to go out on cases and everything like Agents Critten and Parke?" Tony's hand reached out and smacked him on the back of the head again.

"Uh, yeah! You're an _agent_ , aren't you?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Then step into the shoes. Don't let anyone make you feel like you don't deserve to be there. You've made it through what everyone else had to make it through to get here, and you excelled in a specialty area that I wouldn't trust most of the agents in that room to even attempt. We're going to train the hell out of you in the areas you don't feel comfortable in so that you're ready to step into that position when your time comes, and the rest of them can go to hell." Tony watched Dorneget take a deep breath and sit straighter as he exhaled, a bit of determination settling into his eyes. "There you go! I'm thinking Parke will work with you on reading people, listening to their bodies and criminal pathology. Critten will work on your tech skills to help you with researching now that the systems are different than when you were in FLETC, and he and I will take turns with the physical training. Might even get Ziva to work on weapons training with you." Dorneget cringed.

"I don't know if that's such a great idea," he said. "Me and weapons have always equaled disaster and-"

"Hey! That's exactly _why_ you need the training! The first lesson starts now- confidence. I will not hear you, and _you_ will not hear you, say things like that from this point on. You will look at every attempt to train you as an opportunity to get better. You will look at every experience you walk into, inside and outside of the job, as an exercise in shaping who you are becoming. You will go into it with an open mind and believe that you _can_ and _will_ manage to get through it. Ingenuity, skills, improvision, struggle- no matter what it takes, you'll find a way to muddle through. It's not always going to be pretty, but you _will_ come out the other side a better person for it." Tony was already thinking of what kinds of situations the next month would grant them learning opportunities during.

"Another question?" Dorneget asked, and getting a nod, continued. "What happens when Agent Parke is better and you don't need me anymore?"

"Both Gibbs and I have open spots on our teams. Right now, you're filling mine. If after this month, you're really giving it your all, you'll be probationary though September, at which point we'll reassess. Depending on what your focuses become, you could either stay with me, go to Gibbs, or be put with another team elsewhere in the country."

"Will I have a say in that?"

"Most likely. Your actions over the next month, or four months respectively, will be the largest determining factor of your future. You're laying the bricks now for the path you're going to take. It's time to start considering your plans. You need to begin asking yourself the big questions. Where do you want to be in ten years? Twenty? Are you doing everything you can now to get there? What do you need to do to get to that point?"

"I need-"

Tony watched as Dorneget stopped midsentence and gritted his teeth, an odd look coming over his face that Tony recognized as anger and disappointment.

"What do you need?" he asked.

"I need for you to be honest with me. If I'm going to do this, be honest with me. Tell me exactly what you think about how I'm doing. Don't-" Dorney got to his feet and Tony knew that he was confronting some inner demon from his past by the way the anger suddenly heated his words. "Don't- don't- don't coddle me, or tell me some sugarcoated version of what you _think_ I need to hear! I might not like it at the time, but I really do want this, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes, but if I'm not doing enough, I need to know. That's how I ended up here in this basement! I wasn't doing well enough where I needed to be, but instead of teaching me how to be better, everyone either just gave up on me as a hopeless case or- or- or fed me lies and platitudes!" His hands were gesturing around him as he talked, and Tony wondered how long he'd been waiting to get this off his chest.

Tony stood up to meet him, putting a hand on each shoulder to steady him. He gave him a serious look in the eyes, put his grimmest face on, and then said, "I promise- if you suck, I'll let you know, and we'll try to make you better."

Dorneget suddenly burst out laughing, and Tony chuckled with him, letting him go. "It's going to be okay. I will make sure you get pushed, but _you_ need to make sure you don't get pushed _around._ There's a big difference there. From here on out, _I'm_ the only one who gets to push you around. And while I'm thinking about it, Parke and Critten are your equals. Don't address them by "Agent". If you're announcing them, then you say it out of respect, but you also announce _yourself_ as "Agent". It's different of course with Gibbs, myself and Balboa. In my case, you can call me Tony or whatever you feel like, as long as it's not something like, "Hey, You" or "Prick". I'd generally stay away from "Asshole" and "Jerk", too, at least to my face."

Dorneget chuckled again, and Tony started thinking that not only was Dorneget ready for the challenge, but he might be ready to help him take it on.

"Alright. Pack your desk up. Move your stuff upstairs. Critten is probably wondering what the hell I'm doing. We're going to be working on our reports from last night's raid. I'll give you more instructions when I see you've gotten settled in." Tony turned and walked towards the door.

"Hey, Tony?" Dorneget called.

"Hmm?" he asked as he turned around.

"Thanks."

Tony smiled and nodded. "Don't thank me yet, kid. We have a rough four months ahead of you."


	38. Chapter 38

Gibbs looked up from his file when he heard the elevator ding. He saw Tony emerge and he smiled, letting out a small sigh of relief. He was trying really hard not to ask Tony about his every move, and so far, he was succeeding. He'd just spent half an hour going over the forensics for the Ivert case, and he and his team had settled down to write it up. He felt his concentration drifting to eavesdrop on Tony's conversation with Critten. He didn't know it, but McGee was trying to listen, too. The noise around them made that nearly impossible, but Gibbs was able to hear enough to know that Tony was talking to Critten about the SFA paperwork.

He stopped midsentence and forced himself to continue looking at his paperwork and not over his shoulder in the direction of the discussion he shouldn't have been listening to. He'd thought Tony was going to make Parke his second, and he remembered that Vance had been pushing Tony to make Critten the SFA. He thought about it for a moment, torn between how he felt about that. He knew that Tony wouldn't have caved to the pressure, so something must have happened to help him make that decision. He thought for a moment that maybe something had happened during the case that caused Parke to get shot that Tony hadn't told him about, but then he shook it off. Tony didn't have any reason to lie to him about that, and he couldn't imagine Tony lying to him anyway. He breathed deeply and then went back to his file, his mind made up to ask Tony for the details when they were alone again.

About twenty minutes later, the elevator opened and Gibbs heard Dorneget's voice thank someone. He glanced up, and did a double take, fully sitting up and openly watching as Dorney came into the bullpen with two file boxes on top of one another. McGee glanced up and saw Gibbs staring at something, and he looked and saw Dorneget dropping his load on the empty desk in Tony's area. Ziva caught on that there was a commotion brewing, and she looked up to find out what everyone was staring at. She shot Tim a look, and they exchanged a curious glance before staring back at the scene unfolding in Tony's side of the bullpen. They watched as Critten got up to ask Dorneget something, and then smiled, patting him on the arm before sitting back down.

Gibbs suddenly cleared his throat, and the two of them dove back into their files. A few minutes later though, glances were exchanged from over their folders that indicated a promise to discuss the unexpected change later.

They had been working for a couple of hours when McGee finished his report. He started in on the paperwork that he had learned how to do when Gibbs had been in Mexico, but this case was going to require forms he hadn't ever filled out. He messaged Tony and asked if he was done with his report yet so that they could go over the forms, and he got a message back that said he would be soon.

Gibbs had gone up to run the case through with Vance, so Tim decided it was safe enough to message Abby with the latest bullpen developments.

_TMcGee02: Dorney just took over the empty desk in Tony's area of the bullpen._

_AScuito01: Whoa! Really? As in, he's a part of Tony's team now, or what?_

_TMcGee02: I don't know, but it sure looks that way. Parke's going to be out for a while, so he'll probably need the help._

_AScuito01: I would so ask him right now, but he'd probably have a cow wondering if IMing on the clock is office-legal._

_TMcGee02: I bet Tony breaks him of that soon. Then again… I guess everything is changing. That could be too._

_AScuito01: Yeah, he's been totally focused lately. Crazy focused! I think what has me surprised the most, is that he's_ genuinely happy _being that way. It's like he climbed out of this Tony-shell, or something. I don't know how to explain it._

_TMcGee02: To me, it's like he's grown up from being the goofy big brother to- oh wait, he just IMed me. GTG. We're working on forms together. Love you._

_AScuito01: Oh, okay. Love you, too. See you after work._

Tim closed that window and started typing into Tony's chat.

_TMcGee02: Be right there_

He locked down his computer, gathered the stack of forms and his case folders, and then went over to Tony's side of the bullpen. He pulled up a chair and Critten rolled over to meet them, his own files in hand.

"Okay, I have no idea where to begin," Critten said, looking at all of the different papers he had in his hands, a wide eyed look being cast back and forth from Tony to McGee.

McGee smiled at him. "Neither did I when Gibbs retired and I had to start with all of this stuff. That was only for a few months though."

"Wait? Gibbs retired?" Critten looked up at Tony in confusion.

"Long story. Short term. Another time." Tony's words were crisp, and Critten nodded, raising a curious eyebrow at McGee who gave him the tiniest head shake that it was a topic to stay away from.

Gibbs came out of Vance's office and looked down at the bullpen. He saw Tony huddled together with McGee and Critten, and leaned against the railing to watch, a small smile coming over his face. The three of them were laughing and throwing paper balls back and forth at one another. He had often dreamt of doing that with the forms he was working on himself, and he wondered if maybe one night, alone in the bullpen, he should wad one up and throw it over his shoulder at Tony to see what he'd do.

He chuckled to himself as he realized that was yet another thing Tony was bringing out in him that he'd forgotten about- his playful side. Tony had always managed to bring it out more than anybody else. As he thought about it, he decided it was because he knew Tony, and he knew that he was just as serious as he was playful, and twice as dedicated as any agent he'd ever met despite his goofball persona.

He admitted to himself that he was extremely grateful that McGee had gone to Tony for help with the forms. It was bad enough that he had to waste so much time doing paperwork, but to have to explain it was even further out of his range of patience that he was afraid he'd take it out on McGee. He was still surprised about how well McGee had stepped into the SFA position. He caught himself chastising himself for not letting his team's talents out of the box more. He watched Tony catch a wad of paper and then draw their focus back to the paperwork with a chuckle. Both of the younger agents' attention was immediately focused on what they were doing, and Gibbs was impressed that Tony could get them to flip the switch so easily between play and work.

Vance came out of his office and stopped as he watched Gibbs observing the group with a smile. He was still getting used to a more laid back, happier Gibbs. He took in the anomaly a moment, then came to lean on the railing with him. He saw Tony working with both McGee and Critten, and he glanced up at Gibbs, who didn't stop watching the group below them

"Everyone seems happy around here. Rare phenomenon."

Gibbs smirked and took a drink of his coffee.

"Almost makes me nervous," Vance admitted with a chuckle.

"Nah, Leon. Storm's already been through. Time to rebuild," he said, standing up straight again and nodding to Vance before heading back down to join everyone in the bullpen.

"And rebuild we are," Vance said under his breath as he headed for MTAC.

* * *

Tony and Gibbs met up with everyone in the lab at 1730. Ziva told them she would be swinging by the restaurant to pick up Dion who was there consulting with some of the designers. Abby and Tim reiterated that they were stopping by the store for snacks and beer. Gibbs and Ducky were going to go pick up a U-Haul and boxes, and Tony decided to go get a head start on packing with Critten back at the apartment.

Tony had taken a few minutes that afternoon to type up a letter to his landlord informing him of his departure. He knew that he would have to come back with movers for the piano and some of the furniture that he wasn't going to know what to do with, so he had simply said he would be fully moved out by the end of his lease. He had the letter folded into the inside pocket of his jacket, and he double checked that it was still there as he got into his car. His phone rang, and he looked at it to find that Jethro was calling.

"Hey, sexy! What's up?" he asked putting his phone on speaker, and pulling out of his spot.

"Ducky is going to drive separately after all and leave his car at the U-Haul place. He's volunteered to drop it back off for us tonight."

"That's really great of him. I'll need to make sure to thank him extra." Tony checked that Elly was following him as he pulled out of the garage.

"Thanks for doing this, Tony," Jethro said quietly. Tony smiled broadly.

"Shouldn't I be thanking you? I mean, it's your house I'm moving into, and you're picking up the truck and boxes."

Jethro rolled his eyes.

"You know what I mean, and it's _our_ house."

Tony smiled.

"I love the sound of that," he said softly.

"Me, too," Jethro echoed. They sat in happy silence for a minute.

"So, Dorneget?" Jethro asked, unable to hold in the question any longer.

"He's going to be with us for the next month or so while Parke goes through physical therapy, and then if things work, he'll continue through the summer on probationary status. And I kinda ended up spilling the beans about us. He thought when I came downstairs that it was to reprimand him for that comment he had made to McGee last year and confront him on the issue, and I kinda stuck my foot in my mouth."

"You stuck your foot in your mouth? Never heard that happen," Jethro said with a kind of light banter that made Tony giddy.

"Yeah, yeah! So, where are we putting everything?" Tony asked, changing the subject as he tried to picture where things would be able to go.

"What do you want to make sure comes with you this trip?" Jethro asked.

"All of the stuff in the kitchen, the couch, the stuff in the bedroom and livingroom… I guess that's everything, isn't it?" he said chuckling.

Jethro chuckled too. "Yeah, that sounds like everything. There's plenty of room in the kitchen cabinets for stuff, but if you need more, we can store some of it and figure it out later."

"I've got a question," Tony asked tentatively, but with that edge of charm that Jethro had learned a long time ago meant that Tony was going to ask for something. Jethro smiled and shook his head, knowing that he couldn't deny Tony anything at this point.

"Okay?"

"Can we update the kitchen?" Tony held his breath, waiting for the reaction more than the answer.

"Well, yeah, Tony. If that's something you wanna do. I kind of expected it- I've seen your kitchen." Jethro thought about the black granite countertops and stainless steel appliances in Tony's kitchen, and wondered what that would translate into in their house.

Tony sighed in relief at both Jethro's nonchalance and his answer. "Awesome. Are we going to put my bed in the guest room for your dad?"

"We probably should. I figure your couch will replace the one in the livingroom, too."

Tony almost slammed on his breaks. He'd known Jethro for twelve years, and from the first time he ever walked into the house, that couch had been there. He was pretty sure that couch had been there as long as Jethro had been at NCIS and then some.

"Really?" he asked in alarm.

"Yeah, it's time for it to go. Won't be sleeping on it anymore."

"You'd better not! I have certain expectations in a marriage, and that includes my husband sharing a bed with me. And just to cover all the bases, I have the same expectation of engagements. You'd better be in bed with me while we're engaged, too. A lot. You don't have to be sleeping, though I do like when we sleep, but you know, doing other things in bed, I really enjoy the other things…"

Jethro started laughing on the other end of the line. "I have to go. We're here."

"Okay. We should be at the apartment soon."

"Sounds good. See ya in half an hour."

"See you then," Tony said, reaching out and tapping his phone to disconnect. He made sure Critten was still following him, and his adrenaline began rushing as he realized that he was about to pack up his apartment and move out of it into Jethro's house. Up until that point, it had all seemed like a fairytale, but it was really happening now.

He pulled into the parking lot behind his place, and into his spot as Elly pulled up next to him. They got out at the same time and Tony realized that Elly looked almost as excited as he did. He was glad Elly was feeling accepted by the group. Watching him joke around with Tim earlier had felt really good. They headed into the building with Tony making jokes about how much easier it must have been to follow him than Ziva.

"Greg asked me what I was up to tonight. I told him. I hope you don't mind." Tony heard the nervousness in Elly's voice, and was quick to let him know it was fine.

"I would have asked him to join us too if he was in one piece. No worries!" Tony unlocked the door to his apartment and Elly followed him in.

"Wow," Elly said, looking around. "Nice place."

"Eh, yeah. At least when the heat works. You'd think they'd spend the money for a decent boiler. It's a historic building, so there's only so much they can do to alter it, but a furnace that doesn't go out every week would be nice." Tony went to turn down the thermostat. The last time he was there, the heat had been out and he had turned it up hoping it would kick on. Now, it was a little too toasty. He cranked the front window open to let some of the heat out, then turned and looked around, thinking about how this had been his home for the last eleven years.

"What first, Boss?"

Tony shrugged off his haze, and looked at his agent.

"Cleaning out the fridge before everyone gets here and finds the spoiled food I haven't been home in three weeks to throw away."

Elly laughed, but Tony was serious. They started emptying the moldy food into the trash can, and cracked jokes about it.

"What do you think?" Tony asked as he held up a half-gallon of milk. "Do I pour it out and recycle, or throw it out and save us the torture of smelling its chunky goodness all night?"

Elly cringed, and looked at it like it was toxic waste.

"Got any enemies you wanna get even with, because that looks like it would do it."

"My enemies deserve more than curdled milk thrown at them," Tony said as he tossed the jug in the trash can with a thud.

"That bad, huh?"

"Oh, yeah," Tony said softly as he stared into the empty fridge. "That bad."

"Anything you wanna give me a head's up on?" Elly asked him cautiously as he opened the freezer.

"Um, well…" Tony startled rifling through the TV dinners as he thought. "Ziva's dad isn't so crazy about me. If I end up in a ditch somewhere, start there." Critten looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. "He's the head of Mossad."

"Whoa. What did you do to piss off the head of Israeli Intelligence?"

"He thought I was in love with Ziva, and that I had let those imaginary feelings cloud my judgment when I killed one of his agents."

Elly looked at him with wide eyes. "Uhhh…"

"It was self-defense. I had a bad feeling about him, went to check on her, and I turned out to be correct. We struggled, fought, I got my ass kicked, but he ended up dead. I guess you can say I'm a little over-protective of our little ninjette." Tony shrugged like it was nothing, but Elly was enthralled in the tale as he threw out half a bag of frozen French fries.

"Is it true that you guys went to Somalia to rescue her from a terrorist camp?"

"Yup. Me, McGee, and Jethro of course."

"It's so weird to hear you call him by his first name," Elly said as he moved from the freezer to a cabinet over the stove.

"I honestly thought it would be weird for me, too, but it actually happened pretty easily." Tony started stacking dishes on the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Do you think-" Elly's voice stopped, and Tony looked up to watch him shake his head a little.

"Do I think what?" Tony asked before the younger man could back-pedal.

"Do you think your relationship, or at least how the two of you feel about each other, is the reason why the MCRT is so close to one another?"

Tony's eyes took in every movement that Elly made, and at the moment, he was definitely "Elly". Tony could see the sad yearning of a child looking for a place to belong in those eyes that looked down to wipe some dust out of a bowl.

"There are hundreds of reasons for why we're so close. For example, Jethro and I met during a case that outed my Baltimore PD partner as a dirty cop. Jethro was there for me. A few years later, right after McGee joined the team, I ended up contracting the _plague_ during a biohazard attack. Then we lost our teammate, Kate, to a terrorist's sniper gun, a terrorist that Ziva killed in Jethro's basement the day the guy came to kill him. To top it all off, the terrorist was Ziva's half-brother, Ari." Elly had completely stopped everything he was doing and was staring at Tony with even wider eyes than before. "That's how Ziva ended up on the team in a way. Working closely with us gave Mossad the in that they needed to get someone on our team as a liason, and she was it. They used her, and though she knew some of what was going on, she didn't know all of it. In the end, they sent Michael, that guy I killed. She chose to go back to Mossad after that, and they sent her on a suicide mission to none other than Somalia. We went to Somalia, kicked total ass might I add, and brought her home." Elly suddenly looked down and seemed even more sad than before.

"In all honesty, Elly," Tony said, leaning forward on the counter so he was closer to him. "Despite all of the craziness we've gotten into and out of together, it's the other things that have kept us together enough to withstand all that for one another. We care a hell of a lot about each other. We have one big thing in common: we're each other's family. There's not a person amongst our group that doesn't have skeletons in the closet, and shards of a family we're still trying to pick up and put together. I met Jethro's dad and ex-wives on cases. Tim's sister? Met her on a case. Ziva's family? Well, obviously, on cases. Abby's crazy stalker ex-boyfriend? A case. We didn't become this close overnight. It's cases like this one with Shane, and the Northridge case that brought you and Greg so close together, that turns our work into a personal matter. We have come to depend on each other because we had to, but we've become family because we _wanted_ to."

Elly nodded, still not looking convinced. Tony knew it was going to take time for it all to settle in, but he was going to work on it.

"Actually, you guys are going to fit in so well that it's kinda scary. I mean, my first week as your team leader, and I already have reason to know both of your life stories, and have, as Greg put it, shot a guy in a face to protect a family member. I think you two will fit in _just_ fine." Elly stood there a moment in shock at the idea that Tony had just told him to expect to fit in, and Tony wondered what it would take to bring the confidence out in him. He clasped Elly's shoulder on his way past him as he headed for the pantry, and gave it a squeeze. He felt the slightest shiver under his hand as the touch caused a cold chill to go up Elly's back.

The buzzer rang for the front door, and Elly offered to go let people in. Pretty soon everyone was in the apartment, and had split up the rooms. Jethro and Abby tackled the bedroom, Tony painstakingly packed up his office and then bathroom, Ziva and Ducky worked on the living room while Tim, Dion, and Elly made box runs to the truck. Everyone made frequent stops in the kitchen for snacks and for a beer to sip on while they packed. There were constant questions for Tony to explain trinkets they found, and to ask whether or not he wanted this thing or that to go or wait.

Finally, the truck was packed. Tony couldn't believe how empty the apartment was. He also couldn't believe that both the moving truck and Jethro's pickup were packed. He didn't realize he had so much stuff. Everyone was heading for their cars, determined not to lose the urgent energy they had tapped into to get the job done before unpacking at Gibbs'.

Tony stood in the almost empty living room as he stared at the piano. He suddenly felt warm, strong, supportive arms come around his waist, and felt Jethro's chin on his shoulder.

"You sure about this?" he asked quietly in Tony's ear.

"Oh, yeah- definitely. Besides, it's a little late to ask. Can you imagine telling everyone to go unpack it and bring it all back up?" Tony smiled broadly and turned in Jethro's arms so that he could stare into his eyes. "I've never been so sure about anything as I am about wanting to spend the rest of my life making a home and making love with you."

"Mmmm…" Jethro said with a quiet groan. "I love the way that sounds."

"Funny, so do I."

Jethro chuckled and looked into Tony's shining green eyes. "Let's go get you unpacked so we can start on that before Dad gets here tomorrow."

Tony nodded, but leaned in to kiss Jethro deeply, one hand coming up behind his head.

"Uh! WOW!" They heard Abby's voice come from the front doorway. "Hotness alert! You two should seriously warn a girl before you go and start making out in front of her."

"You walked in on _us_ Abs. I think maybe you have that a little backwards," Tony looked at her with a smirk, still holding on to Jethro.

"Abs? You need something?" Jethro asked.

"Yeah, for you guys to do that again!"

"Abs!" Jethro barked.

"Gibbs! You're ruining all my fun!" She pouted, then bounced into the room a couple of steps. "Oh, well. I was sent to find out what's holding us up."

"You mean you volunteered," Tony said with a smile.

"Well, someone had to. Really, would you have rather Timmy had walked in on that? Or Elly?"

Jethro chuckled. "We're coming, Abs."

Abby's eyebrows rose and she turned to walk out the door. "Not yet, but looks like you were getting there…" She hurried down the steps before either man could react.

"Is it just me, or is she getting…"

"Ballsier?" Jethro asked shaking his head in disbelief as he looked at the door.

"Yeah, something like that. We'd better go."

"Yeah, before she gets to the house before us and rigs a camera somewhere."

Tony burst out laughing at Jethro's comment, but knew that it was a definite possibility with their techno-goth. They rushed just a little faster to turn the lights off and head downstairs after that.

* * *

It was almost midnight when everyone had finally said good night, Tony shouting after them that he was bringing coffee and donuts the next morning. Now, the two men were standing in the middle of a transformed living room. There was a different couch where the old brown plaid couch once stood, and the TV was sitting on a stand on the book case that had been in Tony's apartment until they could mount it on the wall. Tony's framed pictures now intermingled with Jethro's on the bookshelves after Abby had made it her personal project to unpack that kind of stuff. There were still a large assortment of boxes stacked against the wall near the stairs, and the bedroom had another dozen boxes in it.

Jethro once again wrapped his arms around Tony as they looked at the incredible feat their friends had just accomplished for them.

"Welcome home, Tony."

Tony fell back into Jethro's arms, melting against his chest. His fingers entwined with Jethro's around his waist and he sighed happily. The words were perfect, the situation was perfect, and his relationship was perfect for him. He couldn't imagine ever being happier than he was in that moment.

Jethro snuck a hand from Tony's grasp, making a pitiful whine escape Tony's throat. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a little blue box identical to the one that Tony had given him. He held it up in front of Tony, and Tony gasped in excitement leaning forward. Jethro pulled him back into the embrace with a chuckle and kissed his cheek. His mouth was right next to Tony's ear as he started talking.

"You beat me to it the other night, ya know. I've been thinking about asking you for a week now, since we took our snow day. I even talked to Ducky about _feelings_ if that tells you anything." That made both men chuckle. Tony turned around in Jethro's arms, slipping his hands around Jethro's neck as he realized that his lover was trying to explain something to him. He saw an almost shy smile on Jethro's face as his eyes looked down and then up into Tony's.

"I never thought I'd feel like this, like I was embarking on some great adventure, eager, excited, full of faith that my future was going to be bright after all. I didn't think that I would be able to feel this alive again. I figured I was resigned to being a bastard for the rest of my life, bitter, cold, and alone until the day I died. You have been keeping me alive for years, and not just by having my back in the field. You always manage to do something right when I need it to remind me that I'm _not_ alone, and that I _do_ have a family. _You_ are my family.

"Tonight, having the entire team here, supporting us like they did- that blows me away, Tony, and you're the reason for that. You're why I've managed to let them all in. You've pried me open bit by bit over the years, and I'm not saying I'm not ever going to be a jerk- ask any of the ex-wives, my friends, my dad… they'll tell you I'm still going to be an ass now and then, but I am looking forward to the future now because I'm _not_ the cold, lonely grump anymore. You've given me a family and made sure I wasn't too stupid to see what was right in front of my face.

"The most incredible part of it all, is that you love me. I never thought in a million years I'd be standing in _our_ living room, holding you, giving you an engagement ring, but I am, and I can't believe that I'm so lucky. I love you, Tony, and I am so happy that you want to spend the rest of our lives together, because I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

Tony's lips stole Jethro's in a moist, slow, tender kiss with more depth than Jethro had ever felt in a kiss. So much was said as Tony's lips moved against his that he might as well have been speaking words straight from his soul, and the way Tony's tongue gently slid over his made his heart ache. It reminded him of a bow over a violin. He'd heard of how the Stradivarius violins were crafted with so much care, carefully etching away at the wood flake by flake, and the way that Tony kissed him felt like that, like someone was putting the masterpiece touches on a project that had taken years to complete. He was honored and humbled to be Tony's masterpiece.

As the kiss came to a close, Tony pulled back just the slightest bit to look into Jethro's eyes, which took a long moment to flutter open and reveal glazed blue orbs amid a dazed expression.

"I love you, too, Jethro."

Jethro smiled at him and held up the little blue box, which Tony reached up slowly to take. He flipped it open with one hand, and saw the same band he had gotten Jethro and smiled.

"I was kinda hoping for this," he said through his grin.

"It's not exactly the same," Jethro said, stepping out of Tony's grip to take the box and pull the ring out. He held it up to the light so Tony could see it. "My love, my life, is yours."

Tony wasn't sure what to say. Jethro smiled at him and took Tony's hand, slipping the ring over his finger. He took the ringed hand and kissed it gently before letting their clasped hands fall. They eyes were locked, and Jethro's voice was rough and quiet as he said, "Forever."

Tony nodded, his heart beating wildly in his chest. "Forever."

"Come sleep with me?" Jethro asked quietly. Tony looked a little confused. "Just sleep. Just be close." Jethro pulled Tony in closer, and rested their foreheads together. "Close enough to hear you breathe, and know you're really there."

Tony swallowed hard and nodded. Jethro led him by the hand to the dining room to flip the light switch off, then flipped off the floor lamp that was now in the living room from Tony's apartment. Finally, they headed upstairs to their room, hands still folded into one another until they got through their doorway. Jethro slid a box to the side with his foot, and Tony set the alarm on his phone. They started pulling clothes off, tossing them over boxes and furniture as they went to their separate sides of the bed.

Once down to boxers, they climbed in and under the covers, and turned towards one another as they tangled their limbs. When they were settled in, Tony's chin rested on the top of Jethro's head as he nestled into Tony's chest, arms tightly around him and a leg wedged between Tony's. Tony had one arm over Jethro's and around his back, while the other laid across the pillows above him, allowing for Tony's fingers to play with the shorter hairs as the base of Jethro's neck, making him sigh contently.

They laid there in silence for a long time, refusing to give in to sleep when being close felt so good. Tony's thoughts wandered here and there, but he would always bring them back to the way it felt to have Jethro's head snuggled against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, or the way Jethro's back rose and fell slightly with his breathing. Jethro was the first to fall asleep, the thump-thump of Tony's pulse lulling him into a peaceful slumber. Tony stayed awake another ten minutes or so, just taking in how perfect he felt. He tried not to question it or over think it, and when he finally let go and let it be what it was, he slipped into dreams with Jethro.

* * *

Tony woke up to Jethro running his thumb over the ring on Tony's hand as it lay on his chest. He smiled in his sleepy daze and looked up at Jethro's face to find a concerned and thoughtful expression.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked quietly.

Jethro smiled brightly at him, and Tony was relieved to see it was a genuine smile.

"Nothing's wrong. Just thinking about what I'm going to say to my dad. He should be getting here right about the time we should be home from work tonight."

Tony nodded and sat up so that he was leaning against the headboard. He yawned loudly, his mouth opening all the way. He saw that Jethro was still a little lost in thought, and he wrapped his arm around him and pulled him towards him so that Jethro's head landed on his shoulder. He was surprised when Jethro simply fell against him limply.

"So what have you decided to say?" Tony asked quietly.

"I have no idea."

"Do you want me there?"

Jethro nodded in a series of short emphatic nods. "Definitely. I do know that part. I have gone back and forth with the idea, and I just…"

"I'll be there." Tony's words were simple, but it made all the difference to how Jethro felt. He sighed deeply in relief, and closed his eyes. Tony's hand came up and started carding through Jethro's short hair. He hadn't had it cut in a few weeks now, and it was getting a little shaggy, which for Jethro simply meant it wasn't so short you could see his scalp. A smile ghosted across Tony's lips as he thought about how long it had gotten while he was Mexico. His thoughts caught for a moment when he realized that it was the first time he had thought about Jethro's hiatus without feeling the familiar pain and resentment that came with it. He realized that he was finally moving past it since Jethro's apology. His thoughts wandered back to the man against him.

"I guess this means that we're telling him as soon as we see him tonight."

"Yeah. Gonna have to." Jethro sounded resigned, and Tony was searching desperately for a way to make it easier on him.

"Well, let's think about this. What are all of the possible outcomes here? Do you really think he's going to get really angry? Is that even a possibility?" Tony resumed stroking Jethro's hair as he waited for an answer.

"I don't think he'd get mad that you're a guy. I think if anything, he's going to be concerned about things like our age difference, why I haven't told him anything, how quickly this is moving, especially considering how many times I've been married…" Tony heard him sigh heavily, and then felt Jethro's face turn into him so that it was buried in his shoulder. He dipped his head so that it rested against Jethro's.

"Is this something you'd rather tell him before he came down here? He's probably getting ready to leave already."

"I told him when I checked in with him yesterday that I had something I had to tell him when he came down. I figure that's enough of a warning. He seemed really excited to be coming down. Even commented on my mood." Jethro's words were barely more than a whisper as he talked close to Tony's ear.

"Your mood?" Tony asked just as quietly.

"Yeah. He said I sounded like I was in a good mood. I told him I was, and that I had something to tell him, but it would wait until he got here."

"Ahhh."

"I'm just worried he's going to have all these questions, and I don't think I have the answers, or at least the patience to answer them."

"You don't have to answer them alone. Part of your story is my story. I can help."

Jethro nodded, but his face remained buried in Tony's neck.

"Don't worry Jethro. We've got this. And I have a feeling he's going to be happy for us. I think he likes me. At least we've got a better chance of Jackson approving than Senior." Tony grimaced at the thought of telling his own dad. That was a moment he definitely wasn't looking forward to. The statement made Jethro chuckle though, so Tony took it as a win.

"That's the truth," Jethro mumbled under his breath, sitting up.

The smell of coffee brewing started wafting up the stairs.

"Guess that means it's time," Tony said half-heartedly.

"Yup." Jethro leaned in and kissed him gently. "Thanks, Tony."

"Anytime."

* * *

Tony and Gibbs arrived in the bullpen with a tray of coffee each and a box of pastries lying on top of them for each team. No one was there yet, but it didn't take long for them to start filtering in, each looking as tired as the next, but still in good spirits.

Gibbs spent the day going over all of the reports from the day before, McGee's paperwork, the forensic reports and finally a meeting with Vance. Tony spent the day getting his newest team member settled in, explaining what he hoped Critten would be able to work on with Dorney, and discussing what they were going to pick up on Monday when Parke was back. He'd decided that since Parke couldn't go out in the field anyway, he'd have him start compiling information from the Melinda Stafford videos in each of the described killings. They'd then run each murder, looking for similar cases that could be connected back to her.

Towards the end of the day, Tony called Fornell to check on Malcom's status. Elly looked up at him once he heard what he was doing, and Tony noticed that all of the knee bouncing and pencil tapping stopped as he listened for information. Even Dorneget stopped going through the case file on the Stafford case to listen. There was no change though. Malcom was still in a medically induced coma in critical condition. They planned to try to bring him out of it at some point that weekend, but there wasn't any indication so far that he was doing better or worse. When Tony got off the phone, he relayed the information to Dorneget and Elly, who pulled out his phone and updated Parke.

Tony got to his feet with a yawn, and stuck his head over the wall.

"Psst!"

Jethro's head snapped up, and looked at him with a cocked eyebrow.

"Coffee?" Tony asked. Jethro nodded, and Tony tossed his head towards the elevator. "Be back soon, guys." He headed for the elevator, and Jethro met him there. They didn't say anything until they were locked alone in the box together.

Jethro sighed once the doors closed, and a moment later, Tony was flipping the switch.

"Haven't been able to check in with you today."

"Been one of those days."

"Yeah, I get that," Tony nodded, worried about the defensive tone in Jethro's voice. "Just wondering how you're doing."

Jethro nodded, and Tony could see that his fiancé was trying to curb his frustration and remember that Tony wasn't the enemy.

"It will all be over soon," Tony said gently, trying to ease some of the tension oozing from him.

"Yeah. Still don't know how I'm going to…" Jethro shook his head as he contemplated announcing to his dad that he and Tony were getting married.

"Which part makes you more nervous? Telling him that you're with a guy or that you're getting married again?" Tony didn't mean to sound so insecure, but a part of him was trying to beat down this little voice in his head that was trying to make him think Jethro was ashamed of them.

"I think if it was just one or the other, it wouldn't be so bad, but putting them together is going to be a lot to for him swallow, and I'm just not sure…"

"The two of you have been through a lot of changes over the past couple of years. I'm not sure this is going to be so different. It's just another thing you're letting him in on. Hell, after Reynosa showing up in Stillwater, I'm pretty sure he can handle anything." Tony was relieved to see Jethro smile and hear the chuckle escape him.

"That is true." Jethro nodded and then looked up at Tony. He saw the desperation in Tony's eyes to make this better for him, and he realized he was subconsciously running his thumb across the band on his third finger, twirling it. He smiled a genuine smile at his partner, and simply stared back into eyes that suddenly twinkled with relief. He reached his hand out for Tony to take, and he didn't have to wait a moment before their hands were clasped. "Thanks, Tony."

Tony reached out to flip the switch on the elevator, but Jethro reached out and slammed it again, then pulled Tony against him, kissing him deeply, taking both of their breaths away.

"You know," Tony said, panting when they finally withdrew their tongues from one another. "If you do that in front of him, I'm pretty sure you won't have to say anything at all."

Jethro chuckled and cuffed Tony lightly across the back of the head, letting his fingers linger a moment before reaching back toward the panel and turning the elevator back on. They both schooled themselves as they got out of the elevator to head towards the exit. They broke out into the fresh air, assaulted by the sudden warmth that had followed the storm in the day before.

"Got warm out here," Tony said shifting to unbutton his jacket.

"I dunno. Thought it was getting pretty warm in there, too."

Tony smirked at Jethro. "Tsk! Tsk! And just who do you think was to blame for that?"

"You," Jethro said as if though the answer was obvious. They ordered their coffees then stepped aside to sit on the wall.

"Me? I don't think I was the one that stopped the elevator again, and shoved his tongue down my throat." Tony blew on his coffee, but he stared at Jethro the whole time. Jethro wouldn't look at him though, a smile on his face and the slightest bit of pink creeping up his neck.

"Well, if you hadn't been all understanding and staring at me like that…"

Tony cut off his argument. "Well, if you hadn't been sitting behind me half of the day getting crankier by the minute, maybe I wouldn't have worried."

"Yeah! Well! You're wearing the tie from the other night! I win." Jethro got up and started towards the building with Tony on his heels. When the elevator opened for them, they weren't alone. They tried not to look guilty as they thought about what they had been doing in the elevator earlier, both men biting their tongues as they waited to get off on their level. Once the doors opened to let them out, they cast each other a look and Tony snickered his way back to his desk as Jethro headed to his with a bright smile and a shake of his head.

Both McGee and Ziva noticed the change in their boss, and a few minutes later, Tony had instant messages from both of them.

 _TMcGee02_ : _Don't know what you did to cheer him up, and I don't want to know, but thanks!_

_ZDavid01: Gibbs certainly seems to be in a better mood._

Tony read their messages and rolled his eyes. He saw the notepad next to him, tore off two sheets inconspicuously, and wadded them up. He stood up and launched one at Ziva, who immediately sat up with a jerk from the case she was looking over, then looked up at Tony with that usual affronted look. Then he took launch at McGee who looked at Tony in disbelief.

"What did I do?" he asked.

Jethro glared at him, and Tony smiled back.

"Just making a point, Boss." Tony turned around and sat back down at his desk, Dorneget and Critten looking at him in confusion.

Gibbs' voice rang out, addressing McGee and Ziva while informing Tony's probies about the situation. "If the two of you have time to be sending emails to DiNozzo, you have time to be finding leads in those cold cases. Get busy."

"Yes, Boss," McGee said, looking back down into his folder immediately.

Ziva did the same, trying to catch McGee's eye as she did so. _Some things will never change,_ she thought, but then she realized that she was comforted by the idea.

An hour and a half later, everyone was scattering to turn off their desk lamps and computers, and get out of the office. Tony and Jethro were right there with them, cramming into the elevator. Tony was reminding everyone to be there at their house for dinner on Sunday when he realized that he hadn't invited Dorneget who was standing right behind him. He looked at Jethro sideways when he realized what he had just said, and saw the slightest shrug. He extended the invitation to Dorneget, and the ecstatic disbelief on his face was enough to tell Tony that it was both a good thing he kept sticking his foot in his mouth, and that it was going to be an interesting dinner.

He and Jethro got into his car. Since he had been parked closest to the street, he'd driven that morning. He found that he didn't mind since he still got to hold Jethro's hand through most of the ride to work. He was still surprised that Jethro enjoyed things like that, but he took the opportunity every chance he could to hold hands.

They were halfway home when Jethro's cell phone rang. It was his own home line. He looked at Tony. "It's Dad. He's at the house."

Tony looked over at his lover, and saw the apprehension.

"Are you going to answer it?" he asked. "We'll be there in ten minutes."

"Hey, Dad," Jethro said into the phone.

"Leroy? Where are you?" Jackson asked suspiciously.

"On the way home. Should be there in about ten minutes." Jethro's grip on Tony's hand tightened, and Tony tightened his grip back in support.

"Oh, I thought you might already be here because both your car and truck were in the driveway, but you weren't here, and let's face it, that doesn't look good." Jethro rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Be there soon, Dad." He disconnected the line and sighed heavily. "Dad saw both the truck and the Challenger there and was worried I'd been kidnapped." Tony couldn't help the laugh that burst out of him.

"Well, I guess that is clue number one, Watson. Maybe by time we get home, he'll put all the pieces together himself and we won't have to say much at all."

"I think he's gotten that I'm not living alone, but the reason why is probably still not clear to him." Jethro looked at Tony for a moment and Tony shrugged, pulling off the highway.

"I'm glad I still have scotch at home," Tony said quietly. "Sounds like I'll need it after this weekend."

Jethro looked at Tony who hadn't let go of his hand once since they had gotten in the car. He saw the concerned look, and the way his eyes were squinting just a little as he concentrated on the drive home, and he could suddenly feel the warm metal band across his finger standing out to him as distinctly as the fingers that were entwined with his. His pulse stopped racing so hard, and he could feel the tension start to bleed out of him. He was sitting next to the man that had made so much of the past twelve years possible for him, opening him back up to people, and that included opening him up to let his father back in. Tony was his priority, and his source of happiness. It didn't really matter any longer what his dad thought of their relationship. Tony made him happy, and that's all that mattered. If his dad accepted them, that was great, but he wasn't going to let the fear that he wouldn't take another moment of happiness from him.

"Love you, Tony," he said with a soft smile. Tony looked at him and saw the change right away. He looked to the road for a second, then back, and smiled at Jethro's sudden brightness.

"Love you, too, Jethro."

"I don't care what he says. When all is said and done, I've got you, and you've been there when no one else has. I'll never let anyone say that we're not supposed to be together, because I know that there is no one in this world I'd rather be with."

Tony pulled up to a stop sign in their neighborhood, and turned to Jethro with a smile that made Jethro want to lean in and kiss him senseless. He'd forgotten how insecure Tony could be with all of the confidence he'd seen Tony gain over the past couple of weeks, and he thought for a moment that he was an idiot for going on and on about this when it had to be affecting him as well.

A few minutes later, and they were pulling into their driveway. Once the car was in park and the engine cut, Tony looked at Jethro.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly.

Jethro nodded and smiled brightly at him. "Yeah, I'm ready." They finally let go of one another's hands and got out. Tony grabbed his back pack from the back seat, and he and Jethro walked towards the house together.

"You know, it's going to be really hard to be quiet enough that he doesn't hear us tonight," Tony said quietly as they approached the door. Jethro laughed as he opened the door, and Tony laughed with him.

"Ya think?" Jethro said as he slipped out of his jacket and hung it on the coatrack by the door. Tony followed suit, and kicked off his shoes.

"Oh, I don't _think_ , I _know_ ," he said happily.

"Dad?" Jethro hollered.

"In here," Jackson replied from the kitchen. Both men headed into the back room. Jackson was pouring a cup of coffee when he turned and saw both men. "Hello, son! Tony!"

"Hey, Jack!" Tony said brightly.

"Hey, Dad," Jethro said, opening the fridge and grabbing a beer. He went to get one for Tony, who shook his head. "Oh, yeah, you're on call." Tony nodded with a smile.

"Tony's on call, but you're not? How does that work?" Jackson asked, looking at them both with a confused expression.

"Let's talk, Dad," Jethro said leading them all back into the dining room to sit at the table. Tony sat next to Jethro on one side of the table, and Jackson sat across from them.

"This sounds serious, Leroy."

"It is. A lot has happened over the past few weeks, and I figured it was better to tell you in person." Jethro felt Tony's hand land on his knee, and he turned to Tony with a smile. "Tony's not on my team anymore." He looked to Jackson for a reaction, and saw the confusion deepen. "He's actually in charge of his own team now." Jackson's eyes lit up.

"Congratulations, Tony! That's great news! My boy finally let you go, eh?" He lifted his cup to his mouth to take a drink of his coffee.

"Well, not quite," Tony said with a sheepish smile.

"Dad, Tony and I are engaged."

Jackson looked at Jethro as if though he hadn't heard correctly. He shook his head a little then leaned in. "Did you say engaged?" he finally said.

Jethro smiled at Tony, and Tony smiled back. "Yeah, we're engaged."

"As in, to get married, that kind of engaged?" Jackson asked.

"Yes, Dad. We're getting married. We're living together, and we're getting married." Jethro's hand took Tony's under the table. Jackson didn't look angry, but he did look really confused, and Tony understood where Jethro's fear of questions came from.

"How did I not know any of this?" he finally asked.

"Well, I just asked him to marry me this week," Tony said, looking at Jethro for permission to be a part of the explanation and seeing it written clearly all over his lover's face. "Jethro wanted to wait and tell you the good news in person," he continued, hinting to Jackson that he should be happy for them.

"No, I mean, all of it." He looked at Jethro intently. "I know you've always had a soft spot for the kid, but I didn't think it was quite like this."

Jethro's free hand came to the back of his neck as he felt Tony's eyes turn back on him. He could feel the blush creeping up his neck in a raging warmth, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I didn't think he felt the same way I did! I wasn't about to pursue something with him that could destroy our careers if I wasn't certain he loved me too." He looked at Tony with softening eyes. "But he does, and once I knew, I decided I wasn't going to let him go."

"I was just as worried as he was, and we spent twelve years figuring this out," Tony said as he stared back into Jethro's eyes with a matching smile. "After spending so long denying what we'd been feeling, we've been playing catch up."

Jackson looked at his son and Tony staring back at each other like nothing could take away their happiness. He was torn. He hadn't seen Jethro look that happy since his first wife, but he had so many questions and concerns about such a quick development.

"Leroy, I've never thought for a moment that you were interested in men," he said, then a thought came to him. "Is that why none of the marriages worked out?"

Jethro's head turned to him with a crack. "What?" he asked as he tried to figure out what his father had just asked. "Oh, no. That's not why." He tried to school himself so the next words would come out as confident and as casual as possible. "I've always been interested in both women and men."

"Me, too," Tony said much more casually than Jethro had just managed. He shrugged, playing it off, trying to get a read on Jackson.

"Ahh," Jackson replied.

Tony was impressed that Jethro was keeping his cool so well on the surface, especially because the death grip on his hand had intensified greatly over the past minute. The silence grew heavy in the room, and Tony wasn't sure what to say to break the tension.

"Dad, are you okay with this?" Jethro finally asked.

Jackson looked up from his coffee with surprise.

"Of course, Leroy! I want you to be happy! I'm just a bit surprised and confused is all. I'm sure it will all sink in eventually. I think I just need some time to get my thoughts around it."

Tony felt Jethro's grip lighten just a little.

"Good, I'm glad. I am happy, and I'd really like it if you were happy for us. Take all the time you need, and if you have questions, feel free to ask us. I can't promise I'll have the answers, but I'll do what I can."

"That goes for me, too," Tony said quietly giving a soft and genuine smile to Jackson.

"Well, thank you. I think I'll go get situated upstairs for a bit. What are we doing for dinner?" he asked as he got to his feet.

"Something take-out tonight," Tony said. "We're having both of our teams over on Sunday for dinner so we'll be going to the store in the morning. Until then, our options come from a can or the phone, and I'm voting phone."

"Everyone is coming over?" Jackson asked perking up a bit.

"Yup. Big family dinner," Jethro answered with a smile.

Jackson smiled back brightly, and both Jethro and Tony felt the tension break in the room.

"I like the sound of that, son," he said as he went to put his cup in the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway though and turned back to them. "Do they all know about the two of you, yet?"

Both men nodded. "Every one of them," Jethro answered.

"Even the Director, though he's not going to be here on Sunday," Tony added.

"And they're all okay with your relationship?" Jackson asked with a suddenly protective edge.

"Yeah, Dad. They've been nothing but supportive," Jethro said with a smile, feeling the concern for their wellbeing in his dad's stare and tone of voice.

"Good," Jackson said before retreating to the kitchen.

Tony and Jethro waited for him to come back through the dining room, and remained silent as they counted the steps he creaked up. Once they heard the door close to the guest room, Jethro leaned his forehead against Tony's shoulder.

"Could have been much worse," Tony said as he leaned down to kiss Jethro's head which then lifted back up to look Tony in the eyes.

"Oh, yeah. Went much better than I thought it would."

"Really?" Tony asked.

"I don't know what I was thinking would happen, but that wasn't so bad," Jethro said, pulling Tony towards him and planting a soft kiss on his lips. "Thanks for being here with me."

Tony smiled brightly at his fiancé. "There's nowhere in the entire world I'd rather be, no matter what you're going through, than right here by your side."

"See? That's what I meant earlier about that whole being understanding thing," Jethro leaned forward and kissed Tony again, but this time he let his tongue slip past the inviting lips, and made sure Tony understood how grateful he was for him. When they broke the kiss, his lips moved to Tony's ear and whispered, "If my father wasn't wandering free through the house right now, I'd take you right here on this table."

Tony groaned. "We could always get lost when we go to pick up dinner," he suggested as he clung to Jethro.

"Get lost where?" Jethro asked before nibbling on his neck.

"I know there's not much left, but there's always the floor in my old apartment. I still have the keys for another few weeks." Tony's hand was pulling Jethro's silver strands as he had his neck nibbled.

"Hmmm…" Jethro said as he thought about the proposition. "I think I'd rather wait until Dad goes to bed and see how quiet we can be."

Tony pulled back to look into Jethro's eyes. "Sounds like you have a thing for almost getting caught," he said with a smirk.

Jethro merely shrugged. Tony looked down and back up, drinking in every inch of his lover.

"Okay, but if I have to wait, we play by my rules tonight."

Jethro groaned. "I can handle that," he said. "I can definitely handle that."

"I'm sure you _think_ you can," Tony said with a smirk. "We'll see."

Jethro watched Tony get up and head to the kitchen to find the stack of menus on top of the fridge. He took in the graceful confidence of Tony's movements, and he couldn't wait to have them used on him later that night. For now, he was content to sit back, watch and wait.


	39. Chapter 39

Tony was searching through all of the drawers and shelves in the living room while Jethro pretended to read, watching him in amusement. Tony knew that he had seen a notebook and a cup of pens somewhere. He was about to give up and call Abby and Ziva, who had unpacked in there, to find out where they were when he finally found them. On the up-side, he now knew where his stapler, four rolls of tape, and the tweezers went. He took the notebook and sat down at the dining room table.

There was a knock at the front door, and Jethro announced that he'd get it. Tony heard him conversing with the delivery guy at the front door, and as the door shut, Jethro hollered up to let Jack know that there was dinner downstairs if he was hungry. Tony smiled up at Jethro who smiled back and sat the food on the table. He sat down next to him and asked what he was working on.

"Figured I should make a grocery list for the dinner on Sunday. What were you planning on having?" Tony sat the pen down on top of the notebook and took a container that Jethro was handing him with his order in it.

"I don't know. Maybe a ham, a bunch of sides that won't take too much to cook, some rolls. As simple as possible. How many people are we up to now?" he asked as he opened his own container of food.

"Fifteen if you include us and your dad. There's Ziva and Dion, McGee and Abby, Jimmy and Breena, Parke and Tiffany, Shane, Elly, Dorney, Ducky, and us. That's fifteen, right?" Tony asked as he counted back on his fingers to make sure he wasn't forgetting anyone.

"Sounds right. Fornell may stop by on his way home from dropping Emily off. He usually ends up having to see Diane's parents on Easter, and that tends to induce drinking."

"Just seeing Diane induces drinking," Tony muttered as he started making the list and Jethro snickered. Jackson joined them at the table, and Gibbs handed him a container with food in it. There was another container with garlic rolls in the middle of the table, and Tony grabbed one. "Anything special you want when I head to the store tomorrow, Jack?"

"Not that I can think of, but if something comes up, I'll let you know," Jack said as he investigated the pasta that Jethro had ordered for him.

"Okay, so we have a ham, rolls, and how about green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, potato salad, pasta salad, cole slaw, macaroni and cheese- homemade of course, and corn?" Tony was scribbling as he listed things off, then took a bite of his roll as he looked to the other men at the table for approval.

"How about some baked beans?" Jackson suggested. Tony's eyebrows raised and he pointed at him with the end of his pen before writing it on the list. He looked back up for other suggestions and Jethro shrugged.

"Are we doing desserts? Drinks? All that stuff?"

Tony nodded and began scribbling again. He shoved a forkful of pasta into his mouth, and then began a second sheet that would be for stuff they needed around the house. He wrote down cereal, breakfast bars, milk, orange juice, creamer, sugar, lunchmeat, bread, cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, steaks, some of his normal staples like frozen fries and pizza, and then added some things for a couple of recipes he wanted to make for Jethro.

"Who all is coming to this shindig?" Jackson asked.

"Ziva, Abby, McGee, Ziva's boyfriend, Ducky, Jimmy, his wife, and Tony's team," Jethro answered, then took a bite of his pasta.

"The guys on my team are Greg Parke, Elly Critten, and Ned Dorneget. Greg's wife, Tiffany, and his brother, Shane, will be here too."

Jethro saw how proud Tony was as he talked about his team, and smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Ziva has a boyfriend again, huh?" Jack asked with a suspicious tone that Tony chuckled at, knowing that he had somehow found out about how the last one ended.

"Thoroughly checked out. He has no ties to any political figures or espionage associations. He's opening his own restaurant here in the city and emigrated from Greece." Tony looked back down at his pasta, and saw Jethro staring at him from the corner of his eye. He looked up to meet the gaze before putting another forkful of pasta in his mouth. "What?" he asked.

"You've already researched the guy?" Jethro asked.

"No. _McGee_ researched the guy; I just got the scoop from him. If he gives me a single reason to even think we need more information, you know I'll be digging further." Tony poked his tortellini as Jethro smirked and went back to his food.

Jackson looked back and forth between them as he took in Tony's defensiveness and Jethro's amusement in it. He was still finding it very odd that the two men were in a relationship, and he probably would for a very long time. However, he hadn't seen Jethro smile this much in years, and it was obvious that Tony was the reason for his happiness. They sat in comfortable silence for a while as their pasta disappeared, and then Tony started clearing things from the table as they finished. When he came back, he saw that neither Jethro nor Jack had moved from their positions at the table.

"I think I'm going to go for a run," he said looking at Jethro with a look that he hoped conveyed he was welcome to join him if he needed to get out of the house, otherwise, he'd be giving the two Gibbs men time to talk. Jethro looked up at him with a soft smile.

"Okay. I'll see you in a bit," he said. Tony smiled at his decision to stay, and as he walked by, squeezed his shoulder. Jethro stared after Tony as he went around the bend and listened as he headed upstairs to change. He was still smiling when he turned to look at his dad.

"Does he always go running right after dinner?" Jackson asked.

"Nope," Jethro answered. "That's his way of giving us some time alone."

Jackson chuckled and other than the sounds of them alternating drinks from their bottles of beer, they waited in silence. A couple of minutes later, Tony came down the stairs and headed for the door. Jethro got to his feet and met him in the living room as he stretched.

"How far you going?" he asked.

"Not sure. Haven't had a chance to really run in weeks. I'll probably be back in an hour or so. Can't go too far since I'm on call. I got my phone with me if you need me."

Jethro nodded, and took in what Tony was wearing. The sun had long since set, and it had gotten chilly outside. Tony saw what Jethro was doing, and looked down at his own sweats and hoodie.

"I'll be fine, Jethro. It's 55 degrees outside. I can definitely handle it. I don't have problems until we're looking at twenty degrees and stuff like that." He smiled and leaned in to give Jethro a quick kiss.

"I know. See ya in an hour."

"One hour. Love you."

"Love you, too, Tony." Jethro closed the door behind his lover after watching him take off from the door step. When he turned around, he realized that his dad had watched the entire scene from his seat in the dining room. He felt himself turning red, and headed towards the fridge for another beer. He came back to the table to where his dad was waiting and sat down, unsure of what to say. They sat quietly drinking their beers for a long time.

"That's definitely going to take some getting used to," Jackson finally said, breaking the silence.

Jethro chuckled and took another swallow from his beer. He ran his finger over the handwriting on the notebook that Tony had left on the table, finding comfort in the familiar script.

"You're really happy, aren't you son?"

Jethro looked up at his dad, and met his gaze calmly.

"Dad, I don't remember being this happy since Shannon and Kelly were alive."

Jackson stared back at him as the words sank in. He hadn't heard his son say a word about his girls in years, and to think of Jethro as happy as he was back then felt like a far off dream or myth. He had just seen it though. He had watched as Jethro doted over Tony's leaving, heard them tell each other they loved one another, and saw the gentle kiss they had shared before Jethro watched Tony leave from the door. He hadn't been able to look away. He'd watched it all in a trance, and he had even pinched his leg so hard it would probably bruise to make sure he was awake.

The last time he had seen Jethro, he'd seemed well on his way to permanent bachelorhood with a sour personality to accompany him. He'd witnessed the warmth he had with his team, and he had considered them his son's saving grace. They were the bit of life left in him, and he was desperately grateful for them.

Now, he looked across the table at a man that was full of life and energy, with a happy twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face. He was concerned in that fatherly part of him that this relationship was moving too quickly and would crash and burn, leaving his son even more devastated than before. He thought of the way he saw Tony looking at Jethro though, and he felt even that diminished. He was still confused and a little worried, but if this relationship made his son happy again, he was going to do whatever he could do to support it.

"So when is the wedding?" he asked before taking another drink of his beer.

Jethro smiled and relaxed.

"No date yet. I've already done this a few times, so I'm going to let Tony decide on everything." Jethro shrugged and drank deeply from his beer.

"What does his family think about your relationship?" Jackson asked tentatively.

"There's really just his sorry excuse for a father, and he doesn't know yet. I don't think Tony plans on him being at the wedding."

"I know you've mentioned his father before. I should have picked up on it then when you showed such a hatred for the man."

"Hell, Dad, if that was going to give me away, everyone at NCIS, especially Tony, would have known years ago. He's made his way into town a couple of times with suspicious activity in his wake, and I prayed each time that he would do something especially stupid so that I'd have the chance to shoot him, or at least arrest his sorry ass."

Jackson chuckled. "No such luck, eh?"

"Not yet. Working on it though!" Jethro chuckled back. "He actually stayed here last fall when he was a possible murder suspect."

"I remember you saying something about that."

"Yeah. He made me realize that you're not that bad," Jethro chuckled and Jackson joined in.

"That's all it took, huh? Finding out your fiance's dad is a possible murderer?"

"We weren't engaged then. Hell, we weren't even dating then." Jethro was afraid of the door he was opening, but he figured it might as well all come out while they were actually having a civil conversation for once.

"When did you two get together?" Jackson asked.

"March. Finally. Been a long time coming."

Something in the way that Jethro's voice and eyes suddenly got sad made Jackson believe him. An uncomfortable tugging sensation pulled at him on the inside, and he felt like he was walking on eggshells suddenly, desperately wanting the happy version of his son back.

"How long is a long time?" he asked gently.

"Twelve years?" Jethro said with a bit of a question to it. His smile returned. "There was a spark right away, but I wasn't sure whether I was just crazy or what. Even back then, the idea of marrying a guy was out of the question. Now, the world is changing, and things are much easier to accept. Our marriage will be legal, binding, permanent. Somehow it feels more real than the last three. I think I simply trust this one to last. We've already been through so much together, and Tony's seen me at my worst, but he still loves me just as much as I love him. With the others it felt like I was settling, like my life might calm down, like I might be able to _eventually_ love them the same as Shannie and we'd fall into a comfortable routine that would fix everything. Tony though… he brings life with him wherever he goes. I'm not trying to replace what Shannon and I had with what he and I have. He lets it all live side by side somehow. I feel like I get this whole new adventure with him now, and I have looked forward to every day that we've been together, and look forward to every day that we will be together. It's new and exciting, but it's also safe and secure. Tony's been there through so much with me, and I've been there through so much with him. We may have only been dating for a month, but we've been together in some way or another for twelve years now. Being with him… it's like relief- relief from some burden I've been carrying around for twenty years, relief from a fear that I would never be happy again, never really love someone again."

Jackson couldn't remember the last time his son had revealed so much about himself. In fact, he was pretty sure he never had. He sat there in awe, watching as Jethro's face lit up and stared off into space as he talked. He was beginning to understand him a little bit more, not just as his son, but as a person. He understood now why he'd been married so many times. Replacing the woman you loved more than anything was impossible, and he was well aware of that. The fact that he had learned Tony over such a long period, and that their love grew outside of those expectations Jethro had placed on his other marriages suddenly made Jackson feel just as secure in their relationship as Jethro did. He understood that this one was different, and he saw that difference written all over Jethro's face.

"He's a good kid, Leroy. You are, too. Sounds like the two of you deserve each other."

Jethro looked over at his dad, surprised by his statement. He wasn't sure how to respond to it.

"Still going to take some time to really wrap my head around this all, but I'm happy for you."

Jethro was even more confused. Finally, he managed a quiet, "Thanks, Dad."

Jackson smiled at him and drank the last of his beer. "I think I'm going to turn in early. Been a long day. Long drive and some big news tires an old man like me out."

"Need anything?" Jethro asked as Jackson leaned on his cane, and headed towards the living room.

"I think I'm settled for the night. Towels still where they always are in the bathroom for in the morning?"

"Yup. In the cabinet over the can."

"Then we're set. Goodnight, son."

"Goodnight, Dad."

* * *

When Tony came home, the only light on in the house was the one in the hallway upstairs, casting a light down the steps. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and drank half of it down, then headed up the stairs to find Jethro. He wandered into their bedroom and found Jethro sitting up in bed reading.

"Hey," Tony greeted with a smile as he stripped out of his hoodie and tee. Jethro looked up at him, taking in the view.

"Hey, yourself," he said.

"Jack asleep?" Tony asked as he kicked off his sneakers, and watched Jethro's reaction as he slowly dropped his sweats.

"Mmmhmmmm…" Jethro said, taking in the sight of the naked man before him.

"Good. I'm going to go shower. When I get back out here, I want you naked." Tony smiled brightly at him, and then headed for the other room.

Jethro smiled and stuck the bookmark in his book. He had showered once he got upstairs in anticipation of Tony making good on his promise, and he was looking forward to it. He slid out of bed, stripped out of his t-shirt and boxers, and tossed them over the edge of the hamper next to the bathroom door. He made sure the door was closed all the way, and prayed that his dad was as asleep as he sounded down the hall. He decided to open the window to let some of the comfortably cool night air in. It had been unseasonably warm over the past forty-eight hours, and Tony was right- it was only about 55 outside.

Jethro turned off the nightstand lamp, and the room was suddenly bathed in pale white light from the full moon outside the window. He sighed contently and laid down on the bed, waiting patiently for Tony. He heard the water turn off in the shower, then heard the curtain being pulled back. A minute later and he heard Tony tapping his toothbrush out in the sink and he smiled as he heard the fan go off, knowing that Tony had flipped the light switch and was on his way in to join him.

Tony stood in the doorway to the in-suite bathroom, and looked at the sight before him. Jethro was lying naked, half hard on the bed, moonlight shining in and casting shadows across him through the pattern in the white curtains and around them as they billowed in the light breeze coming through the window. Jethro's head was turned towards him, and his eyes caught just enough light to stand out from the shadow that was his face. Tony smiled softly at him, amazed that such an incredible and sexy man was lying there, waiting for him, loving him.

He took slow steps towards the bed as he took in every inch of the feast laid out before him. He had thought their love-making that night would be rambunctious and fun, but so much weighed on them from their day, and seeing Jethro laid out like that, so trusting, so willing, made something stir inside Tony that required a deeper approach. He climbed onto the bed, sat across Jethro's thighs, and outstretched his hand.

Jethro saw the look on his lover's face, and he knew that tonight wasn't about a game for Tony or a fiery release. He took Tony's hand, and was pulled to sit up, his face even with Tony's chest.

Tony took Jethro's head in his hands, moving it so that he looked up into Tony's eyes. Tony saw a vulnerability in the shining blue eyes that looked back at him, and he felt his heart quicken. His thumb brushed over Jethro's bottom lip, and Jethro's hands came around Tony's back, holding himself in place. Tony leaned down and took Jethro's lips in his, the kiss starting off soft and gentle. It was a warm pressure of skin on skin, breath on breath, and Tony's right hand moved to cup the back of Jethro's head while his left hand moved to Jethro's chest. The kiss deepened slowly, building intensity. Jethro's lips parted, inviting Tony to take more, and Tony suckled Jethro's top lip between his for a moment before letting his tongue trace Jethro's lips with a slow and seductive swipe, and then slip past them to caress Jethro's tongue.

Between kisses, Tony whispered against Jethro's lips. "I want you more than I've ever wanted anyone in my entire life." The words caused Jethro to take a deep shuddering breath.

"I love you, Tony," Jethro said roughly and with such honesty that it ached in his chest. "So, much. I'm never going to let you go."

"Good," Tony whispered against Jethro's lips, his forehead against his lover's. "Because I'm not letting you go Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Ever. Your life, your love, is mine, forever." Tony's hands were shaking as he ran them up Jethro's neck and into his hair, desperate for something to hold on to that could stop the trembling.

"Forever, Tony." Jethro's hands clung to Tony's back. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest that he was afraid, and he swallowed hard. Tony suddenly took his lips again, the kiss suddenly urgent and passionate. He returned it the same way.

Tony attacked Jethro's lips with a sudden hunger and an urge to crawl under the older man's skin. He rocked gently over Jethro's groin, rubbing their hard cocks together, making them both groan. The kiss kept going until Tony moved it to Jethro's neck and shoulder, sucking and kissing, and giving little nips from Jethro's collarbone up to his earlobe, making Jethro groan. He finally slid out of Jethro's lap and over the side of the bed, grasping his hands and pulling him up with him. They stood next to the bed, hand in hand, resuming their kiss. Tony's hands held on to Jethro's tightly for a few minutes, needing something to grasp as they stood there, lips and tongues celebrating one another.

Finally, he released Jethro's lips and moved to suck on his nipples. Jethro gasped, afraid his knees were going to give out from underneath him as Tony's fingertips started teasing his cock. Tony wrapped an arm around Jethro's waist to keep him upright and turned his lips loose on Jethro's neck again, one hand still teasing his cock.

"Tony," Jethro moaned quietly.

"Yes?" Tony asked between kissed on Jethro's jawline.

"God, you feel incredible." Jethro's hands were taking in Tony's back, his arms and chest, mapping the younger man in the dark.

Tony let go of Jethro except for one hand that he traced Jethro's waist with as he came to stand behind him. His other hand ran up Jethro's spine, and in a moment, Jethro was turned and gently pressed forward to bend over the bed. Tony's hands ran down Jethro's back on either side of his spine and then coasted to the tight ass waiting below. He kneaded the cheeks, then ran his hands slowly up Jethro's back again, kissing his way up the spine as he went.

"Do you have any idea how fucking sexy you are bent over the bed for me?" Tony asked quietly near Jethro's ear. His reply was a shiver that raised goosebumps all over Jethro's body. "You're mine."

Jethro could feel Tony's erection pressing against him, and he was eager to feel it inside of him. He and Tony had gotten into a habit of Jethro taking the top, but he enjoyed Tony taking it from time to time as well, another thing that surprised him and that made Tony stand out from all the rest. There was something so perfect about the way Tony fucked him that made it as normal as breathing. He's never felt so comfortable being on bottom before as he was with Tony, but in that moment, he craved it and loved every moment of Tony taking control. The way he did it with such tenderness and passion, conveying so much more than sexual desire, made Jethro feel empty, needing Tony to fill the void.

Tony kept one hand on the small of Jethro's back as he reached into the nightstand drawer and grabbed the lube. He slicked up a couple of fingers, and then rubbed Jethro's back as he slipped the chilly, wet fingers between those perfect globes, and searched for Jethro's hole. He traced the ring of muscle with a lubed finger before he slipped it inside carefully. Jethro made a noise that Tony knew to mean he enjoyed the sensation, and he began sliding his finger in and out of the warm chamber. A minute later, he started adding a second finger, and found that Jethro was opening up for him easily. He scissored his fingers apart and together, apart and together and Jethro groaned, thrusting back on the digits.

"Tony?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Tony knew what his lover was asking for. He withdrew his fingers, and added more lube to his hand, then swiped it over his cock a couple of times.

"You ready?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, yeah."

Tony slid the head of his cock past the tight ring of muscle, and breathed deeply at the way it tightened around him.

"You feel so fucking wonderful." His hands went to Jethro's hips, and he guided himself in slowly, taking in every sound that Jethro made and gauged his speed accordingly. When he was finally all the way in, he stopped, and took a deep breath to settle his nerves. "You're so tight, so warm. Never want to pull out."

Jethro's plea for Tony to move is what finally caused him to roll his hips. Jethro gasped, and Tony started slowly pushing in and out of the warmth. Jethro propped himself differently on the bed as Tony's speed increased. He felt Tony's balls slapping against his as they swung in the rhythm of Tony's thrusts. Tony bent over him, his arms on either side of Jethro's body as he took him at a more moderate pace now. He suddenly felt Tony's arms go around his chest and pull him up against him, his pace increasing.

"Stroke yourself for me. I want to watch," Tony said, suddenly stopping his fucking, but not pulling out. He kissed Jethro's neck as Jethro's hand immediately reached for his cock, unable to deny Tony anything in that moment. He started firm strokes from base to tip with a swipe of his thumb over the head at the end of each stroke, then he returned to the base to start again. He kept stroking, feeling Tony's cock twitching inside of him and Tony's warm, wet lips attached to his neck. He felt Tony's teeth bite down gently here and there, and then suddenly, as his own spine started tingling in the way that let him know he was getting close, Tony began fucking him earnestly, a patternless series of long strokes and short jabs.

Tony felt Jethro's muscles tightening around him, and he knew that Jethro was close to coming. His put his mouth to his lover's ear and whispered, "Come for me."

As soon as he said the words, his hand went around Jethro's mouth, stifling the scream as Jethro came. Tony took a few more thrusts to finish, his own body jerking and convulsing as he came into Jethro, unloading in the warmth.

They stood there panting heavily for a few moments, and then Tony slipped out of Jethro, uncorking a mess that ran down both of their legs. Tony's arms wrapped around Jethro and pulled him close anyway, both men needing the help standing.

Jethro suddenly began laughing. "You don't think I woke Dad up, do you?"

Tony chuckled, loving the feel of Jethro's laughing body in his arms.

"No, I think I muffled you in time," he said.

"Thank, God. I don't think I could sit through coffee in the morning with him if I'd woken him up. Can you just imagine him coming to knock on the door to make sure everything was okay?"

"I'm pretty sure your Dad is wise enough to know the difference between a scream of fear and agony versus an orgasmic release."

Gibbs shuddered. "Don't wanna think about that."

Tony chuckled. "Come on, let's rinse off." Tony led them to the shower and then washed them both gently and slowly, planting kisses here and there on Jethro's body as he went.

Once they were cleaned off and dry, they slipped under the blankets and tangled with one another, enjoying the early spring breeze that came in and made it just cool enough to hold on to one another closer. Tony listened as Jethro's breath evened out immediately, falling asleep after such a tiring day.

 _I can't believe he actually told his dad about us. I can't believe we've told so many people. Then again, I can't believe anything that has happened over the past few weeks. I wonder if this weird shock I'm feeling will eventually wear off, or if I should just accept it as the new norm and live from it. Crazy few weeks. I'm an engaged team leader that just moved in with my former boss, aka my freaking soul mate. I have three team members of my own now I'm responsible for, a man in my arms that I'll always_ feel _responsible for, and a future father-in-law sleeping down the hall. How in the hell did all this happen? No matter how much I don't believe it, it feels more real than anything else in my life ever has. The love here? The real thing. Never felt it with anyone. I thought I'd come close, but nope! Damn. Unconditional, huh? Feels like that. Haven't felt that since mom._

He winced.

 _Okay, that one hurts. I guess if Jethro is learning to get past the pain of losing Shannon and Kelly, I might be able to get to the point where I can really think about mom again. I should go leave flowers on her headstone for mother's day. I haven't been to see her for years. Oh, Mom. I don't know if he's anything like who you'd imagine I'd love, well, of course_ he _isn't, but I think you'd really love him. He's everything that's been good in my life since you left. Going to have to tell Dad eventually. Don't think he's going to be happy for me, but you… I believe you would have been, and maybe even are._

Tony looked back down at the man in his arms. _I'm so proud of him. He has always had more integrity and personal strength than anyone I have ever met, but I know today was not his favorite day. He just came right out with it. He didn't try to deflect or anything… I guess he's not really the deflecting kind anyway, but it was still nice to have him consider our relationship important enough to step up to the plate for. I suddenly wish I could just pick up the phone and call Dad and tell him._ Tony smirked, looking to where his phone sat on the nightstand behind Jethro. _Nah. Even harassing him isn't worth letting go of Jethro. God, he feels so good. How in the hell is he still in such great shape? I have definitely put on a few pounds over the past few weeks with how busy we've been. Need to make sure to get out and run more if nothing else. Missed it. Damn he's sexy. How did I ever get any work done? Sexy, and mine! That's right world! Leroy Jethro Gibbs belongs to_ **me** _ **,**_ _Anthony Dinozzo Jr. He's even wearing my ring. And oh, look! I'm wearing his! My love, my life, is yours. I wonder if Abby helped him pick out the ring. The saying is definitely him though. My forever, my everything. No doubts, Jethro. Not a single one._

Tony's wandering thoughts finally lulled him to a happy sleep with a smile on his lips and Jethro's head against his heart.

* * *

Tony's phone woke both men up. It was just a text from Abby, but they had both slept until almost 0900, and the shrill chirp had startled them both.

"Shit!" Tony said as he dropped the phone back down on the nightstand, turning the volume down. "Damn thing scared the hell out of me!"

"Yeah," Jethro agreed with a grumble, snuggling close to Tony again, his arms going around Tony's waist. "Not getting up."

Tony froze, and then smiled down at Jethro's head against his chest, running a hand through Jethro's hair.

"Your Dad is probably already up and making coffee," Tony said, snuggling back down into the blankets with Jethro.

"Don't care," Jethro mumbled as he held on to Tony.

Tony snuggled back against Jethro, and a few minutes later, they were both sleeping again.

An hour later, Jethro woke up slowly. He smiled to find himself still snuggled against Tony's chest, his nose being slightly tickled by the chest hair. He could feel the steady rise and fall of Tony's chest that let him know the younger man was still asleep. He could tell by the sunlight in the room that it was much later than he usually liked to sleep in, but sleeping in when he had Tony next to him was a whole different story.

He nuzzled Tony a little until he felt him stir, and then laid perfectly still and pretended that he was asleep. He'd woken up a couple of times to the sensation of Tony's stare on him, and then found those deep and expressive green eyes on him when he went to look. He loved them first thing in the morning. There was a glaze of sleep that usually made them shine, bright and wide eyed and made him look both incredibly young and innocent, but wise and mature. He decided that moment when his eyes met Tony's for the first time in the morning was one of his favorite moments of the day. His ultimate favorite was the last moment of coherence before he fell asleep at night, his body pressed against Tony's. Nothing would ever top that, but there were so many moments that he experienced with Tony that were breathtaking that he was simply going to enjoy them and be grateful.

He felt the weight of that stare again and looked up to see Tony gazing at him. It was the whole reason that he had wanted to go back to sleep. The phone ringing had startled them out of their gentle wake up together, and he wanted a do over. He got it. Tony's eyes were gorgeous, and his heart fluttered at the sight of them.

"I can't tell you how happy I am that I wasn't called in last night. Being able to sleep in with you was awesome," Tony said quietly.

"I know. I don't know when we'll ever see that happen again." Jethro scooted a little up towards the headboard so that he was eye to eye with Tony, a soft smile on his face.

"Hey, every three weeks, we're off call for a weekend, and I'm going to expect you to work with me to make the most out of those weekends. I don't care if we stay in bed all weekend, get away, just hang out around the house, but those weekends are ours, and I'm going to cherish them."

"I can think of a few things I'd like to do with a weekend free with you," Jethro said with a smirk. "At least a few."

Tony beamed at him and shook his head. He leaned in and kissed Jethro's lips softly. "Good."

They continued staring back and forth at one another for a long few minutes, just basking in a late morning together. Finally, Jethro sighed, announcing they should probably go check on Jackson. They took turns in the bathroom, and tossed some clothes on. Tony's were a little more appropriate in case he got called out, but he was still comfortable. They headed downstairs together, Tony talking about how he needed to go to the store, and about how they'd left Jack to fend for himself in the empty kitchen for breakfast.

Jack's voice came from around the bend in the dining room.

"I managed, but I don't know if I'll make it through lunch." They heard the smack of a newspaper unfolding, and Tony laughed.

"I'll make sure something is here for lunch. I'm going to head to the store. Just gotta get some coffee in me."

"Want me to go with you?" Jethro asked, already taking two mugs down from the cabinet.

"No, I would probably drive you crazy at the store. I'll call you when I'm on my way home though to help me carry it all in." Tony sucked down half of the mug Jethro handed him, already dosed with cream and sugar.

"I can do that," Jethro said, taking a drink from his own cup. "Your list is on the fridge there. I didn't want it to get lost in the shuffle."

Tony turned and snatched it off the door. "Thanks," he said as they headed to sit down in the dining room. "What were you two planning on doing today?"

Jethro and Jack shared a look and a shrug. Tony just smiled. _Like father, like son._

"Okay," Tony said, sucking down another gulp of coffee. "I'm going to get out of here so I can make it back in time to throw lunch together before Jack withers away." He dropped his mug off on the kitchen counter, and headed towards the living room. He stopped next to Jethro, and gave him a quick kiss. "See you in a couple of hours."

Jethro smiled after him, but Tony was suddenly blushing, realizing he'd just kissed Jethro in front of Jack. It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the stare he felt burning into the back of his head when he pulled away. Jethro's gentle smile was enough to make him feel like it was the right move though. He grabbed his lock box with his gun, and put his badge in his back pocket to take with him in case he got called out. The thought made him remember Abby's text from earlier. He pulled out his phone on his way out the door, and looked to see what it said.

_Do you want me to bring something tomorrow? Or do you need help cooking?_

Tony smiled, and dialed Abby's number. He got into the car and put on his seatbelt while he was waiting for her to answer. Putting her on the cradle so he could drive, he was glad to hear her perky voice come over the speaker.

"Tony! You didn't message me back, and I was getting worried! Then Timmy reminded me Jack was over, and I figured you guys probably needed some rest after getting him settled in, so I waited, impatiently, but now you're calling and I can stop worrying! What can I do for you?"

"CafPow on your off day Abs?" Tony asked with a chuckle.

"Nope. Timmy's got a new blender, and we spent the morning trying to make the perfect coffee milkshake. He wanted to make some kinda healthy smoothie, but I talked him into this since it's Saturday. I figure he can wait to make whatever carrot-tomato-celery-wheat germ-vegetable protein nastiness tomorrow."

Tony winced at the idea of the power smoothie. "How did you get him to ditch the healthy crap?"

"Ummmm…" Abby said hesitantly.

"Nevermind!" Tony said, backpedalling quickly, making Abby laugh.

"Yeah, I didn't think you really wanted to know about my extreme powers of persuasion." Abby's mystically mysterious tone made Tony wonder if she was doing her classic hand gesture as she spoke.

"I'm on my way to the store right now. I have to get a million things. Jethro has nothing to eat in the house, and I have to get the food for tomorrow."

"Timmy went home to get some stuff done, and I need to run to the store, too. Wanna swing by and pick me up? I can help, and we can get it knocked out faster." Abby's voice was a little more than eager. Tony got the sense that she wanted to talk to him about something, so he agreed and changed his course to go get their goth. She was waiting outside by the time he pulled up, black pants, plain white tee and studded belt accompanied by a messenger bag and basic ponytail threw him off. He noticed she didn't have a lot of make-up on either, and he began to worry.

"You okay, Abs?" he asked quietly when she got into the car with a little less than her normal enthusiasm.

"Hmm? Yeah! I'm good! Just got some stuff on my mind, and I think grocery shopping on a busy Saturday just might get my mind off it all."

Tony nodded, and pulled away from the curb.

"Okay. Well, you know, talking about it all can sometimes do that too. If you wanna, that is."

"I don't really know _how_ to explain it." She said with a shrug. "Just gotta think it through I guess."

"Alright. Well, if you wanna think it through out loud, I'm around."

"Thanks, Tony. So what are we getting at the store?" she said, changing the subject.

"We need a ham, potato salad, baked beans… you know what, here." He pulled the folded up list from his back pocket while trying to keep the car from running off the road.

"Holy crap, Tony! You meant it when you said Gibbs didn't have anything in the house. Salt and pepper? Really?"

"Yeah. There's practically nothing in there. I think there's just a little bit of cream left, some cereal, some milk, and a box of mashed potato flakes that I'm pretty sure are two years old. However, if you open the cabinet _below_ the coffee maker, you'd believe that the world was coming to an end when you see the amount of Folder's Columbian he has stockpiled. I'm pretty sure the man's blood type is Dark Roast."

"That's okay. Mine is probably pink from all the CafPow. I should so check on that! I wonder what my blood could tell me about my caffeine levels throughout the day. I could chart it and see when the prime consumption time would be-"

"Would this require you drinking more CafPow to run the tests?" Tony said with a knowing smile.

"Most likely."

"Then let's not test this one. Remember what happened last time you overcaffeinated?" Tony gave her a cheesey sarcastic smile.

"Don't remind me!" she said with a groan. "I have never crashed so hard in my life!"

They pulled into the mega-mart and got out.

"Have I ever told you how much I hate these places?" Tony said looking up.

Abby looked at him with a questioning glance.

"Getting people together in a crowded building to dance, drink, mingle, intentionally bump into one another… I can get behind that kind of crowd. Get a bunch of frazzled, panicking, hungry, cranky, pushy people together in a store- and what's worse!- give them grocery carts to run into one another with, and it just spells my worst nightmare. That's why I left Jethro at home. I have a feeling having him rushing me along wouldn't help the tension I always feel in here around the soccer moms that drag their kids through the aisles with them." Tony pulled a cart out of the collection near the front door, and Abby did the same.

"Well, good thing I'm here then!" Abby said with a perky smile. "What do you want me to tackle?" She pulled a small notebook and pen from her bag and they decided on a stack of stuff for her to gather. They decided they'd meet at the bakery to pick out a dessert together when they were done.

Half an hour later, they were both standing in front of the case of cakes and pies feeling as weary at Tony expected. They looked at each other and each picked something up that looked half decent and could be shared, and then Tony grabbed an individual slice of cheesecake. Abby looked at him and the cheesecake and reached for an individual cupcake. They nodded at each other, and headed for the check out. Another half an hour later, they were in the car, groceries filling the trunk and back seat, and eating their individual servings in Tony's front seat.

Abby licked a finger she had just picked icing off of her cupcake with, and Tony took a big bite of his cheesecake with a fork he'd grabbed from the deli.

"When Tim left today, I sat in my apartment, and I felt lonely."

Tony cautiously looked at her, but remained silent.

"I never _needed_ someone there with me. I was happy alone, just taking things as they came, and now suddenly, when he's not around, I feel it. I feel it, and I don't like it, and I don't want to be alone, and I don't like that. I don't like _needing_ that."

"Don't you mean needing _him_?" Tony asked non-chalantly as he took another bite of his cheesecake.

"I don't think so. I enjoy needing Tim. I love how exciting it is when I know he's going to be coming over, or when he's waiting for me and I'm about to go hang out at his place. There's this awesome, tingly, thrill when I know we're about to see each other, like everything is suddenly going to fall into place, and the world is going to feel right again. It's that time when he leaves, and the world suddenly doesn't feel right anymore, that I hate. I'm used to being independent, free, disconnected but connected… that doesn't make any sense." She looked at her cupcake, and licked a bunch of the icing off the top.

"No, it does. You're not used to having to need someone is all. It's okay, you know, to need to adjust to that."

"But I don't want time to adjust. I want what he wants. I want to be living together now, and be happy, and content, and fit right into place, and I just don't! I want that, but it doesn't feel… I don't know… natural, maybe, to want that? It goes against my nature. What if I decide that one day, it still isn't part of my nature?" Her voice got really quiet. "I've hurt Timmy once before, and I don't want to do it again, Tony."

"I think that the fact that you care so much about him to be concerned, goes to show just how much you really love him. You know, you can still enjoy life when you two have to go your separate ways throughout the day, and that thrill you're talking about? Totally awesome feeling. I'm excited about going home and seeing Jethro, and yet I'm still enjoying hanging with you. You just gotta keep the balance between your independence and the relationship, which is really hard when you first get together! Everything is so awesome, and it makes you want to spend every moment together, but you know it's not always going to be that way. Couples fight, they get tired of each other, they have to rebuild the magic, rekindle the fire, and if you think you're up for that with Tim, then you can do this. If you don't think that you'll be able to handle the rough patches, then-"

Abby cut Tony off. "Oh, I totally think we can handle the rough patches. I mean, we have had our fair share of arguments over the years, but most of the time, they never have to even leave the lab. We work them out. There's a lot of respect there to go with the love. I just hope there's- no. There's definitely enough love there, too. It's just… I get so flighty. I always seem to run _away_ when I'm supposed to run _to_ , and I just… I don't know Tony. I trust Timmy completely, and I love him with, like, everything in me, but I don't know if he can trust me, and if I can trust that love to be enough to make me stay. I want to, and I think I do, but when you look at my past…"

"Abs, you're not your past. If you want this, you'll stay. If you don't want this, you won't." Tony finished his cheesecake, and slipped the plastic container into the store bag next to him on the seat. He turned the ignition over and started heading back to the house. Halfway there, Abby realized they weren't going to her apartment.

"I guess we should probably get the food in the fridge first, and then take me back, huh?" she asked.

"Actually, I was thinking there's something at the house you might need."

"Really? What?" she looked at Tony skeptically.

"You'll see."

Tony pulled out his phone, and called Jethro to let him know that he'd be home soon, and that he'd need help with the groceries. When they pulled up in the driveway, both Jethro and Jack were standing next to Jethro's car waiting.

"Jack!" Abby said, jumping out of the car before it was even turned off. "Jack!" she hollered as she ran up to him and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back with a chuckle.

"Been a while since such a beautiful woman has thrown herself at me!" he joked.

Jethro looked at Tony curiously, and Tony looked from Abby and Jack and back. Between their brilliant ability to read one another, and Abby's attire, Jethro knew something was up. He met Tony at the trunk to grab some groceries and headed in, leaving Abby to talk to Jack in the driveway for a minute. As soon as they were inside, Tony began talking quietly.

"She's afraid that she's losing her independence because she wants to be around McGee all the time, and she doesn't know how to deal with it. She's feeling clingy and needy, but is afraid that one day, she's going to feel suffocated under it all and want out. She's just terrified of hurting McGee again because of what happened last time." He finished the quick rundown, getting the nod from Jethro just as Abby came through the door with a couple of bags of stuff. Tony took them from her and started putting stuff away while Jethro reached down to kiss her cheek and led her back out for another load.

Tony knew that for Abby, Jethro could fix everything with just a few words, and he knew that because he was the same way. Jethro put things simply, and when they were put so simply, all of the complications tended to fade away.

Tony smiled as he put the groceries away. Jack, Abby and Jethro came in to help, bringing with them the rest of the bags. They packed the fridge and cabinets, and laid a bunch of stuff out on the counters with the dishes they would be made in the next day. Tony got out a loaf of bread, the lunchmeat, cheese, tomato and lettuce, and began making sandwiches for them all.

"Abs? You want one?"

"Sure!" she said, much perkier than earlier. "No cheese on mine, please!"

Tony was standing in the kitchen out of sight of the dining room making sandwiches when he felt Jethro's arms come around his waist and his chin rest on his shoulder.

"Need help?" he asked.

"Mmm…" Tony said. "Nope. Just need you to stand right like that."

Jethro smiled, and held Tony tighter.

"Some time chatting with dad seems to have her in better spirits," he whispered in Tony's ear.

"I think she just needed to be around family," Tony whispered back.

Jethro nodded and kissed Tony's cheek.

"I know how that is," Tony said with a shrug.

"Me, too." Jethro looked at Tony as his head turned towards him, their eyes met, and Tony smiled at tiny smile before leaning in to kiss Jethro softly.

"We're going to have all the family we can handle by tomorrow night," Tony said as Jethro finally let him go with a chuckle to get some drinks for them all.

"You're telling me," he said.

A few hours later, Jethro offered to drive Abby home, and Jackson looked at him strangely. Tony was suddenly worried that Jack didn't want to be left alone with him.

"Is that _his_ way of trying to give us alone time, like your run last night?" Jack said with a smirk that almost matched Jethro's.

Tony chuckled. "Busted! No, actually, Abby needs someone to talk to, and that's pretty much Jethro's role in her life."

"He loves that girl. I imagine sometimes that he'd talk about Kelly as fondly as he talks about Abby."

Tony nodded.

"He probably does. I've seen him act like it with her, so it wouldn't surprise me. That reminds me," Tony sat down, suddenly realizing that he really was given the chance to talk to Jack about stuff he couldn't bring up around Jethro, even if that wasn't the intent. "Jethro told me a couple of weeks ago that he wanted to clean out Kelly's room so that we would have room for all of the crap from my house. I don't want him to do that because of me. I'd be just fine with getting a storage unit somewhere, or just going through all of this and narrowing it down." He motioned to the boxes in the next room, though he couldn't see them with the wall in the way. "I tried to tell him that, and he hasn't brought it back up since, though he was determined at the time to do it. The past few weeks have been absolutely crazy, so I don't know if it's just because he hasn't had the time to really think about it, but I thought he'd bring it up during the actual move if he was ready. I honestly don't think he is, and that's fine with me, but I don't want to make him think I'm rushing him or pushing him if I put all of this in a storage unit."

"I see your predicament. It's kinda a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario."

Tony nodded and sighed in relief that he wasn't the only one that saw it.

"Just do it. Don't ask him, don't tell him, just go ahead and get a storage unit, and maybe when he's on a case late or over a weekend, load it up. You can tell him after the fact if he even notices. But if he does, and you do have to tell him, just be honest with him."

Tony nodded.

"Thanks, Jack."

"Anytime. Now, I am going to go sneak a nap in. Don't tell Jethro though- he thinks I'm getting old."

Tony laughed. "In that case, take it in front of the TV. No one can escape the comforting charms of that couch! I'm going to go through some boxes and see what I can get out of the living room before everyone gets here tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Gibbs pulled up outside of Abby's apartment, and put the truck in park.

"What's going on, Abs?" he asked quietly. She'd barely said two words the entire ride over, and he knew that she was aching to talk to him about whatever it was on her mind.

"Are you ever afraid that you and Tony will not be happy together one day? That you'll just wake up one day and not love him anymore?"

Gibbs chuckled. "No. We've spent twelve years loving one another in some way, shape or form. I can't imagine ever waking up and not wanting him next to me."

"I can't imagine that either. Every time I think about it, I see Tim and I… well, making it. But I woke up one day back then and didn't want to be dating him anymore . What if I wake up one day ten years from now, and I don't want this anymore? I can't do that to him."

Gibbs reached out and squeezed her hand. "Abby, we've talked about this. You were a different person with different wants and needs some ten odd years ago. It's going to be fine. What does your heart say?"

"To hang on to him, and never let go," she said without any hesitation.

"And what does your gut say?"

"To hang on to him, and never let go because he's never going to let me go either," she said again without hesitating.

"You can't think through love, you've gotta feel it. Stop overthinking it."

Abby sighed, and closed her eyes. She felt Gibbs' words sink into her like water on sand, and it grounded her.

"Tony was right."

"How's that?" Jethro asked.

"He said there was something I needed at your house," she looked at him sheepishly.

Gibbs reached out and pulled her close for a hug. She hugged him back tightly. "Thanks, Gibbs."

"Love you, kiddo."

"Love you, too."

* * *

Jethro pulled up to the house, and looked at his watch. The day had flown. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept in so late before he and Tony had gotten together. It made the day seem much shorter, but in a strangely satisfying way.

He opened the door to find Tony going through boxes, and Jack asleep on the couch. He smiled at the way his house suddenly felt like a home. It was warm and inviting in a way it hadn't been in years, and he wondered how he had ever been happy like that.

Tony got to his feet with a smile. He met Jethro silently in the middle of the living room and kissed him.

"Everything get worked out with Abby?" he asked.

"Yep."

"See? I knew it. All she needed was a little Gibbsian wisdom," he whispered before going to kneel back down next to his boxes. Jethro slid down the wall to take a seat with him as he unpacked.

"I think it's more like your wisdom that she's impressed with."

Tony looked up at him confused.

"She said that you told her she needed something at the house, and she said that you were right. You were. She needed the support of her family," Jethro said quietly. "I guess I'm not the only one waking up to that bit of knowledge these days."

Tony smiled and shrugged.

"Our family is changing," he said quietly. "They're the kind of changes that will make a difference in every aspect of our lives, but I'm really looking forward to seeing how it all plays out."

"I've never been a big fan of change, especially so many changes at once, but I think this time, it might just be for the best."

"If they can be a tenth as happy as we are, I'll be ecstatic for them," Tony said giving a warm smile to Jethro.

Jethro nodded, returning the smile.

"She asked me if I could imagine ever waking up one day and not loving you anymore."

"What did you say?" Tony asked, the smile never leaving his face.

"I laughed. No, I can never imagine waking up and not loving you anymore."

"Good! Because I'd kill you before I'd divorce you," Tony said with a wink.

With that, Jethro laughed and got up to go make some coffee, and Tony shuffled through the box he had in front of him half-heartedly, his mind wandering to their future and the wedding. He still had no ideas about what he wanted, but one thing was for sure- he wanted their whole family there- the family they chose.


	40. Chapter 40

Tony's alarm went off at 0630 on Sunday morning. Jethro snuggled into him, and he reached for the phone to make the offending noise stop. They had worked on unpacking as much of Tony's stuff as possible the night before, delicately tiptoeing around the topic of Kelly's room completely, and talked about getting someone to move the piano. Jethro had made the steaks that Tony had picked up over the fire, and the three men sat around telling stories about Jethro's youth and the funnier moments of cases past.

Now, it was time to get up and get ready to have a big family dinner. Jethro watched Tony intently as they woke up together, and they laid there through the entire snooze in silence. After resetting the alarm for another ten minutes, Tony laid back down and looked at Jethro, taking his hand and interlocking it. He cleared his throat and tried to think about what he wanted to say. When he began, his voice came out quietly and cautiously.

"I've been wanting to ask you why we're having the dinner today. We could've had it yesterday, and neither of us are really the celebrate Easter types. Not to mention I don't think anybody on either team is either. Is there something special about today?"

Jethro smiled at Tony. He'd wondered when Tony would ask. He was right, neither of them were really the Easter types. Abby usually celebrated with the nuns, but other than that, he couldn't remember anyone on their teams ever mentioning Easter plans. The closest thing was that Ziva had made plans to do something for Passover two nights prior, but she certainly wasn't celebrating Easter.

"My mom liked Easter," Jethro said quietly, but still with a small smile on his face. "It wasn't so much the actual holiday, but to her, that's when Spring really began. She liked watching the kids do the Easter egg hunt, and we dyed eggs together every year. Winters are always tough in small towns, but by Easter, things were usually looking up, and people were in better moods, work was steady again, and everyone got together for big dinners with family." He trailed off, and Tony nodded at him, a smile on his face and this look in his eyes that Jethro noticed he had whenever he'd confide in him. "After she died, Dad would get really depressed around Easter, and well, he wasn't the only one. Since we've been working on… our issues… or whatever you'd call it, I thought maybe it would be nice to have him come visit this weekend. Having the family together, _our_ family together, seems appropriate. They've come through for us in a pretty big way this past month, and I figured it would be a nice way to say thanks."

Tony stared into his eyes for a long moment then leaned forward and kissed him. Jethro kissed him back and wrapped his arms around him. The phone started chirping behind his head, and Tony reached for it, resetting the snooze. They held each other for the next ten minutes without saying a word until the snooze went off again.

* * *

Tony was yawning as he poured a cup of coffee and felt a firm hand on the small of his back. He handed the mug to Jethro, then poured another for himself. They shared a smile, and Tony opened the fridge to find the ingredients he'd gotten to make them omelets. Jethro began slipping pieces of bread into the toaster, and got out three plates and forks.

Jackson joined them in the kitchen, and they all exchanged "good mornings" as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"The Doc always hates when I come down to see Leroy," he said, leaning in towards Tony. "He's got the good coffee. Doc's got me drinking the unleaded version back home, and he always knows when I've been cheating- the ticker tells on me." He and Tony chuckled.

"I was joking with Abby yesterday that I'm pretty sure Jethro's blood type is "Dark Roast"," he said with a chuckle.

"I heard that!" Jethro hollered from the dining room.

"I don't care!" Tony hollered back, making Jack laugh and pat him on the shoulder.

"Good for you! Don't take any of his crap!" He leaned closer to Tony and added softly, "Because sometimes he sure gets to slinging it!"

"I couldn't hear that, which means it couldn't have been good!" Jethro called back at them.

Tony and Jack both laughed again as Jack headed into the dining room with his coffee. Jethro came in with playfully squinted eyes.

"Bonding, huh?" he said.

"Let's call it that!" Tony said with a chuckle. He scooped the last omelet onto a plate, and Jethro grabbed the plate with the toast and a stick of butter from the fridge, giving Tony's ass a squeeze on the way past. Tony looked at him with a surprised smile, and Jethro winked at him. Tony shook his head and followed Jethro into the dining room while trying not to smile too brightly.

They ate quickly in their excitement to have everyone coming over, and cleaned up just as fast. All three men found things to do. Jack helped Tony with a few things in the kitchen, and Jethro retrieved the leaves for the dining room table from the basement. He knew they still wouldn't all fit around it, but the extra table space would be needed.

Jackson and Jethro began opening windows around the house to let the warm breeze flow through the downstairs, bringing the scent of someone mowing grass across the street through each room. Jethro smiled and took a deep breath, enjoying the smell. Tony opened the back door and slid the top glass window pane down in the storm door to allow air to come in through the screen behind it. It was getting hot in the kitchen as the oven preheated for the ham. He tried to plan what would go into the oven when, and lined each dish up on the counter accordingly. Jethro came in and poured another cup of coffee as Tony slipped the ham in the oven.

"Ham going in already?" he asked.

"Well, everyone will start to be here about two, and I think Abby wanted some time with the oven. It's a ten pound ham, so we're looking at three to three and a half hours. I can slide one casserole dish at a time in on the top shelf with it for the other stuff. Mac 'n cheese and mashed potatoes won't have to be done until about one thirty, and there's a bunch of cold stuff in the fridge to just open up. I cheated and got veggie trays. I love everyone, but I was _not_ going to spend all morning cutting up veggies and cheese for them."

Jethro smiled as Tony rambled on. He'd never heard of Tony throwing a get together for anybody at his place, and he wondered how often he'd had done this. He seemed to be somewhat frazzled, but he had everything in check. Jethro put his coffee down, and slid his arms around Tony's waist from behind as he was reading over the instructions to one of the dishes. Tony sighed and fell back against him immediately.

"You don't need to impress them. Relax." Jethro's words were spoken softly next to Tony's ear. "It's just the gang. Our little family, remember? They're lucky to get a normal dinner during the week, so anything that isn't served from a sack, wrapped in foil, or in a carton will make them happy."

Tony chuckled, and Jethro loved the feel of it reverberating through his chest. He closed his eyes with a content smile on his lips and held Tony tighter. They stood there for a long few minutes just letting one another's presence sink in.

Tony hadn't realized he had been getting so wound up over it all. He had all of these sudden memories of dinner parties at his house as a kid. The first ones he could remember were fun to prepare for. He would help his mom and the staff in the kitchen. After his mom died though, preparations were anxious for everybody with his father's demands running the show. Tony tried to help still, but the ladies found him more of an inconvenience.

As he got older, if he happened to be home while there was a party, he was either schooled by his father on how to behave during it, or per a step-mother's request, not there at all. He'd be pawned off on a "friend" of Senior's with kids his age. Tony saw it for what it was from the beginning; his dad thought if he made friends with their kids, they would be more likely to go into business deals with him.

Tony had hated those parties after his mom wasn't there anymore. They were full of pretentious people with fake laughter, and he promised himself early on that he wasn't going to be one of them, and that he wouldn't surround himself with people like them.

As he breathed in the comforting scent of the man behind him, he was suddenly very aware that he had succeeded. He had an incredible group of people in his life, and not one of them would be caught dead at one of those parties unless undercover. The people coming over that day were family, and Jethro was right, he didn't have to impress them or worry about what they would think about the meal. The best part was just all of them being brought together for something that didn't have a case number and the words "attempted murder" attached to it.

Tony turned around in Jethro's arms and saw that his fiancé looked just as happy as he felt. "Thanks."

"Any time. No need to get stressed about this stuff."

"I know. They deserve something nice though. I just want to make sure there's enough for everybody, and that we can all kick back and enjoy each other's company when they start getting here. Knowing my luck, my team will get called out, and you will have to recruit those left for clean-up detail anyway."

Jethro's head fell back with a groan. "Don't say that. I want you here."

Tony leaned in and whispered in Jethro's ear. "You want me everywhere."

"True," Jethro said with a quick leer down Tony's body as he pulled him even closer, squeezing his ass, a hand on each cheek, kneading them.

"Jethro!" Tony whispered fervently. "Don't get me hard with your father in the next room!"

"He's not in the next room," Jethro whispered back. "He went for a walk. His doctor has him doing half an hour every day, which I reminded him of after his coffee comment. So he's taking in the scenery." He started nipping at Tony's neck. "And there's something _I_ want to take in." He took Tony's hand, and pulled him across the room as Tony moaned. They slipped through the basement door, closing it behind them, and headed down the stairs.

Jethro pushed Tony up against the wall, and kissed him fiercely. Tony's fingers wrapped in Jethro's short hair, and kissed him back, suddenly on fire from head to toe. Jethro's mouth felt like flames licking his skin as he kissed his neck, then lifted his t-shirt to tease his nipples. His mouth left a moist trail all the way down Tony's stomach until he was on his knees, looking up at Tony as Tony's head fell back, exposing his flushed neck.

Jethro worked Tony's belt and jeans open, and pulled out his hard cock. He wasted none of their precious little time together, immediately wrapping his mouth around the head and sucking, letting his tongue swirl around the slit, licking up the little bit being already offered there. Tony groaned low and deep, and Jethro's own cock twitched hard as he took Tony as far into his mouth as he could, stopping before starting down his throat. He pulled back, letting his tongue press against the throbbing vein on the underside, and then swirl around the head again.

"Fuck!" Tony hissed.

Jethro repeated the action over and over again, loving the way he could hear Tony panting harder and harder as he bobbed. He kept going like that for a couple of minutes and then took Tony deeper into this throat, fighting back his gag reflex. Tony's hand went back to Jethro's hair in ecstasy, grabbing it and pulling. Jethro slid back and then impaled himself again. Tony half-groaned, half-whimpered, as Jethro started a rhythm.

Jethro could tell that Tony was getting close. He ran a hand up Tony's leg, and then rolled his balls in his palm. Tony suddenly convulsed, shoved over the edge, freefalling like being pushed off a cliff. Jethro swallowed everything Tony gave him, and then sucked hard a few times to make sure he'd gotten it all, causing aftershocks to run through Tony's body. Once he finally pulled off, Tony slid down the wall, catching his breath.

"You," gasp. "Definitely have," gasp. "A thing for almost getting caught." Gasp.

Jethro grinned and shrugged. "Once you can stand, you should help me get the bench upstairs for Dad."

Tony looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. He reached out and grabbed Jethro's shirt so that he fell forward from his position on his knees. Jethro's hands reached out to catch himself on the wall, a hand on each side of Tony's head. Tony's hand palmed Jethro's hard cock through his pants.

"Mmm… Tony, we don't have time."

"Yeah, we do. Just come for me- fast and hard." Tony was already unbuttoning Jethro's pants and taking his dick in his hand. His fingers stroked it firmly from base to tip with just the right amount of pressure to make Jethro's eyes roll up into the back of his head. Tony watched, fascinated by the way Jethro's face, neck, and the small bit of chest he could see turned red.

Jethro thrust into Tony's hand, suddenly needing the release as quickly as Tony was demanding it. Tony was right- the thrill of being caught was a huge turn on for him. He felt the adrenaline rush pushing him forward as he thought that his dad was going to be back any minute while he was down stairs getting a hand job. He thrust and jerked in Tony's grasp as the tingle started travelling down his spine and exploded out of him. At the same time, Tony's hand reached up to cover his mouth to keep any sound from coming out.

"Front door just closed!" Tony whispered fervently as Jethro was still convulsing through his orgasm. Tony jumped to his feet, putting his own cock away and trying to figure out what to do with the fistful of cum he had. Jethro got to his feet, stumbling and chuckling as he tried to put himself back together, leaning against the work table for support. Tony looked around frantically for something to do with the sticky strings of cum, and Jethro looked at him curiously, trying to figure out in his daze what was happening. Tony held up his hand to show him, and then smirked, as an idea hit him. He watched Jethro closely as he took a big lick of the liquid.

Jethro, still not totally recovered from his orgasm to the point that he was still twitching, looked at Tony in awe, his mouth dropping open. Tony loved the reaction enough that he decided to just lick his hand clean. Jack hadn't made any attempt to find them yet, so Tony took his time, making sure to suck on each finger and watch Jethro stare at him, paralyzed.

Tony moved to stand in front of Jethro, as he sucked on his fingers erotically. Once he was sure he had gotten it all, he smiled and locked eyes with Jethro's blue ones. A moment later, his lips were engulfed in a fiery kiss, Jethro's tongue ravishing his mouth as he tried to taste himself there. They pulled away panting.

"I love when you do that," Jethro said between breaths.

"What? Jerk you off with Jack upstairs?" Tony asked with a mischievous smirk.

"That, too, but I was referring to licking my mess off of you. I don't know what it is about you, but ever since our first night together, I've loved seeing you covered in my cum." Jethro's hands went around Tony's waist, pulling him close. His mouth went to Tony's ear to speak roughly and quietly into it. "Tonight, I'm going to fuck you so hard, and when I finally let go, I'm going to roll you over and cover you with everything in me, paint your body with every drop, and _then_ I'll let you come."

Tony groaned, dropping his head back and shaking with the chills. He took a deep breath, and couldn't believe it as he felt his cock twitch, trying to come back to life again so quickly.

"I want that. I want that right now, so bad," Tony said, looking back down at Jethro with dilated eyes.

Jethro reached forward and squeezed Tony's cock. He smirked when he realized it was trying to stiffen again. "Yeah, you really do." He leaned back in to Tony's ear to whisperer again. "Good. I plan on doing it often."

Tony shivered again.

"Let's get this bench upstairs for dad. We can put it on the back deck for now to get it out of the way, and if folks want to wander outside, they have something to sit on since I haven't gotten the table and chairs out of the shed yet." Tony was suddenly left standing alone in the middle of the basement as he tried to process the sudden change of topic.

"You're such an evil bastard!" Tony groaned, but the smile on his face let Jethro know he wasn't really upset. They were halfway up the steps with the bench when Tony sought his revenge. "We should have done that on the bench. I mean, my hands are all over it now anyway."

Jethro suddenly froze, locked in a vision of Tony sitting on the bench with his pants around his feet, while he sucked him off. His arms were stretched across the back of the bench, his head tossed back, and occasionally, he'd grab Jethro's head and look at him as he guided his movements.

Tony decided to keep up the assault. "And I forgot that you have a shed. We definitely need to spend some time alone in there together. Can't promise the neighbors won't hear me of course- or you."

"Which one of us is the evil bastard?" Jethro asked.

"I've been an evil-bastard-in-training for twelve years! Congratulations! You've done a great job!" Tony winked, and they continued up the stairs as both men laughed.

They got the bench out on the back porch, and Jethro called for Jack.

"There you boys are! I was starting to wonder where you went." Jack came out on the deck, and suddenly all of their attentions were stolen by Tony's phone blaring to life in his pocket.

"Excuse me," he said, heading into the house and reaching into his pocket for his phone. He was already going for his lockbox when he realized it was Abby calling. He smiled in relief. "Abby! You had me thinking I was being called out. I'd much rather be talking to you! What's up?"

"Hey, Tony! I was going through my groceries from last night looking for the can of onion crunchies for the green bean casserole. Did they get mixed up with your stuff?"

"Yes, I have them right here waiting for you. You're making that when you get here, right?" he asked.

"Yes! Just wanted to make sure they were there. You _so_ can't do green bean casserole without them!" Tony heard Tim's shout of agreement behind her.

"Tell McGee I said hey!" Tony said.

"Tony says hey Timmy," Abby said with a bounce to her voice.

"Hey, Tony," Tim said from the background.

"You're sounding chipper," Tony told Abby with a smirk.

"I am! I'm super excited about today! Okay, now that I know that you have my onions and they aren't being held hostage by some super evil intergalactic being that also does things like steal my socks from the dryer and my hair scrunchies when I'm not looking, I'll be going. I should be there a little before two since I need to put this in the oven. Is that okay?"

"Sounds great, Abs. Can't wait to see you guys!" They hung up the phone as the Gibbs men came back in. "It was just Abby! False alarm!"

"That's great!" Jethro said, leaning in to give Tony a quick kiss before reaching past him for the half emptied cup of coffee from earlier. He turned to top it off with some hot stuff, and Tony saw that Jack was once again staring at them as if though he was trying to figure something out. Tony felt himself starting to blush, and busied himself with putting together the pan of baked beans to stick in the oven.

At a quarter to two, Abby and Tim opened the door to the house. Tim was carrying a brown bag full of stuff that Abby and he were contributing to the party. They stopped to say hi to Jack in the living room, Abby getting a hug and Tim a handshake, but everyone was smiling. Jack led them into the kitchen where Abby bounded into Tony's arms for a quick hug, and then Jethro's. Tim and Tony started going through the bag of stuff that Tim had, and discussed what there was to drink. Jethro clasped Tim's shoulder for a second to say hello, and they smiled at each other briefly. Jethro took one of the beers that Tim had brought and read the label.

"You should try it so I can taste it," Tony said as he started stirring the mac 'n cheese. Jethro shrugged and opened it. Tim took the rest of the six-pack and put it in the fridge. There were suddenly more voices from the living room as the front door opened again.

"No, that is just how it is. You do not knock on Gibbs' door. I think if you did, he would probably shoot you. You just go in. Anyone welcome in his home knows that, so unless you are delivering food, you do not knock." Ziva's voice filtered through the house, and Dion could be heard laughing.

"Hey you two! We're all in here!" Tony shouted. "And for the record, we're putting a lock on the door. There's just some things you don't want to walk in on!"

Everyone laughed, including Jack. Ziva handed Jethro a bottle of wine, and he smiled and thanked her. She was then greeted by Jack who gave her with a earnest hug. She hugged him back, greeting him as if though she were seeing her own grandfather. She turned and introduced Dion, and Dion shook Jack's hand with both of his. Jack leaned in and whispered in Ziva's ear.

"If he doesn't treat you right, let me know. I'm _just_ far enough removed that they'd never suspect!" Ziva burst out in a laugh that made everyone turn to look.

"Jack, you are too kind."

A knock at the door led to multiple voices encouraging whoever it was to come in, and Critten found the crew that was crammed into the kitchen.

"Okay people! Mingle elsewhere unless you're cooking!" Tony announced. He opened the fridge and took the veggie and cheese trays out, and handed them to Tim to take with him when he left. He grabbed two boxes of crackers from on top of the fridge, handed them to Jethro, and pointed for him to go and to take Jack with him. Jethro laughed, kissed Tony quickly again, and then followed the train of people heading for the living room.

Abby bumped Tony's hip with hers as she smiled about their smooch, and Tony shook his head with a huge grin. Elly made his way into the kitchen with a container of dip and a round loaf of bread.

"Hey, Boss!" he greeted.

"Hey, Elly! I'm glad you came!" he smiled up at him from where he was stirring more cheese into the noodles. "What's that?" he asked, gesturing with his head towards the container.

"Spinach dip and rye bread. Do you have like, a really big plate or something?"

"Sure, in the cabinet above my head. I need two hands, or I'd get it for you. The one on the right I think." Tony ducked while Elly reached up to grab a large platter sized plate.

"That'll work!" Elly set about ripping the middle out of the bread round, and putting the dip in its place. "I'm really glad we didn't get called out this weekend," he said smiling up at Tony. "I kept waiting for the call. I finally got some serious sleep in! I think I was awake six hours of the whole day yesterday. It was amazing!" Both Abby and Tony laughed.

"Definitely been there," Tony said.

"Yeah," Abby agreed. "Sometimes you just need those re-coup days. They help screw your head back on straight when it's been all wonky for too long."

Elly took the dip and sat it on the dining room table, but then came back into the kitchen for a beer and stayed to chat some more. Tony looked at the beer in his hand, and Elly put his hands up in defense. "Don't worry, it'll be my only one! McGee was telling me he was going to bring it, and I wanted to try it."

"That reminds me! Jethro? Where's that beer I wanted to taste?" Tony turned the burner off, finally done with melting the cheese into the noodles for the mac 'n cheese, and put the lid on it.

Tony heard Abby starting to chat Elly up about something techie that Tim had mentioned as he left the room in search of Jethro and the beer. He found Ziva, Dion, Tim, Jethro, and Jack sitting in the living room talking. He went up to Jethro, took the beer out of his hand, and then took a drink. Jethro looked up at him with a grin.

"Kinda fruity," Tony said.

"Blueberry and coriander," Tim said as Tony took a second drink and handed the bottle back to Jethro. Tony nodded and Jethro shrugged.

The front door opened, and Palmer and Breena came in, followed by Parke, Tiffany and Shane.

"Hey!" Tony greeted. "Glad you guys could make it! Food that needs to be cooked can go in the kitchen, snacks in the dining room." Greetings were exchanged all around, and Tony introduced the group. He stopped when he got to Shane, making the connection. He rested a hand on Shane's shoulder, and got Jack's attention. "Hey, Jack! Shane here lives up in your parts. You two should talk."

Shane went to sit near Jack immediately, and Tony could tell by the sudden excitement on his face that the kid was homesick for the park.

"Which part are you from?" Shane asked.

"Stillwater."

"I know exactly where you're at! I work and live in Loyalsock State Park!"

Jack chuckled and sat up. "Well, how about that! I used to take Leroy up there when he was a kid to camp!"

When Shane looked confused, Tony intervened. "Gibbs' full name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I'm pretty sure Jack is the only one that calls him Leroy though," Tony said smiling at Jack.

"Well, I named him, so I get to call him whatever I want!" Everyone laughed. The two went back to talking, and soon Ducky arrived.

"Look who I found outside!" he announced, and Dorney poked his head around the door.

"Hey! Come on in! I swear we don't bite! A lot of other things, but biting isn't one of them." Tony took a bag from Ducky, and headed towards the kitchen with the older man on his heels giving instructions on what to do with the food he'd brought. Tony could hear Parke talking to Dorneget. By their conversation, it was pretty clear that Elly had told him about Dorney joining the team. Tony had planned on sitting down with him to go over what he was going to ask for his help with on Monday, but as for now, he was more focused on the shoulder in the sling healing than anything.

Tony began gathering the cold stuff to put on the table. He listened to the sounds of his family talking around him, cracking jokes, laughing, telling stories, and he realized that this was all he had ever wanted. He hadn't know it really, but this, a sincere, welcoming family, and a home with the man of his dreams, was his definition of happiness. He stopped what he was doing, and looked around him.

Abby, Ducky and now Jethro were chatting in the kitchen. Jack was talking with Shane still. Jimmy and Breena were talking with Ziva and Dion, and making Tiffany and Parke feel welcome to join their conversations. Elly and Dorney were talking with Tim, and Tony could tell that Tim was telling them a work story, because he was laughing so hard he was almost crying, and the other two were getting a kick out of it as well. Everyone was happy around him for the first time in his life, and he wanted it to stay that way. He couldn't ever remember having that. He knew that he could go join any of their conversations and he would feel right at home, completely comfortable and happy to be included. No one was pompous or judgmental, and every one of them were intelligent and open-minded people.

 _I think I may actually be happy,_ he said to himself. _I didn't think happiness really existed, but here I am, with these great people, in my warm, safe home, with my fiancé and the sound of laughter everywhere. I think I'm actually happy._

A timer went off in the kitchen, and Tony stuck his head around the doorway and told Jethro that it was time to take the ham out. Jethro's eyebrows went up and he stopped leaning against the counter, turning instead to find the oven mitts.

"Is this thing going in there, or in here?" Jethro asked loud enough that Tony could hear.

"In here," Tony half-shouted back.

"Incoming," Jethro said, as he came in, sitting the roaster pan where Tony had potholders waiting. "Hell of a spread," he said with a smile as he saw everything sitting on the table. He came to Tony's side and wrapped his arms around him, his mouth at Tony's ear. "Thank you."

Tony smiled contently, letting his eyes close as he held Jethro's arms in place. "You are very welcome," he said, thinking about their conversation about Easter dinners that morning.

There was a shuffle as Abby and Ducky brought their dishes into the dining room to sit on the table as well, and people started wandering in to see all that the feast entailed. Tony announced for everyone to come eat, and they all took turns circling the table, and filling up their plates with food. All of the chairs were taken from the dining room and moved into the living room, and everyone found places to sit.

Tony was on the floor by Jethro's feet with his plate on the coffee table as Jethro sat in one of the kitchen chairs. Elly sat next to him at the small table. and Dorney sat at the other corner.

"Oh, look!" Abby joked. "They're at the kids' table!"

Tim turned to her with an evil grin. "You're right! It's Probie, Ultra-Probie, and Tony!" Half of the group heard them, and chuckled. Tony gave Tim a sarcastic smile and nodded.

"Oh, just wait _young grasshopper_ until the next time you have to fill out the NC-72, because you'll be doing it by yourself!"

Tim froze mid-bite.

"Yeah!" Tony said with a Cheshire grin. "Now who's at the kiddie table?"

The group laughed again.

Dion looked at Tony from the chair across from him and Jethro, and laughed. "I will gladly sit at this kiddie table if it means that I don't have to cook for once! This is really great of you guys! It's so nice to have someone else in charge of the kitchen."

"Here, here!" Ducky said with a smile, raising his glass.

"No thanks necessary! I think we all deserved this," Tony said with a smile, looking over his shoulder at Jethro. He looked back around the room at the smiling faces. "We've had a hell of a journey getting to where we are now, but now that we're here, I for one, believe we can take on anything thrown at us."Spirited agreements rang up around them, and Tony chuckled. "And I pity the dumbass that tries to mess with this family!" More cheers, laughter, a catcall from Abby, and the sound of clanking beer bottles and wine glasses filled the room.

The meal continued, everyone clearing their plates, tapping into the deserts, and coming back to sit around and chat in small groups. Tony was standing in the archway between the dining room and living room talking with Jack. He'd taken a liking to the kid, and he'd offered to take Shane back to Pennsylvania with him so that he could get back to work at the park. They were interrupted when Tony's phone rang.

Immediately, Jethro, Elly, Parke and Dorneget's heads snapped up to look at him from their places around the room. Tiffany turned to see what was going on when Parke stopped mid-sentence, and a chain reaction caused the room to go silent. Tony pulled the phone out of his pocket, fully expecting that he was going to see dispatch's number there. Instead, he saw the name "Fornell" and his stomach dropped.

He answered, looking at Jethro. "DiNozzo."

"Hey, DiNozzo. It's Fornell."

"Yeah, what's up?" he asked cautiously, suddenly feeling his gut twist at the way Fornell sounded hollow and numb.

"I, um." He cleared his throat. "I know you guys are having a big thing right now, and I'm sorry, but I thought you'd want to know. They tried to pull Agent Malcom out of his coma this morning, and his body wouldn't hold up on its own. He passed away just now."

Tony's eyes shut tightly, knowing everyone was looking at him to see if they were being called out. He turned around, needing to get out of their line of sight. He instinctively headed towards the basement, closing the door behind him, and made his way down the stairs.

"I'm really sorry, Tobias," he said quietly.

"I know, Tony." It wasn't lost on Tony that they suddenly found themselves on a first name basis.

"How's Galto?" he asked.

"He's what you'd expect. He's violently angry and blaming the world. If the bastards weren't already dead, they would be soon. I think he's going to have to see the shrink. They were extremely close, and-" Fornell's voice cracked. "He hasn't left his side since he got here the other night." Tony swallowed hard knowing what that kind of dedication felt like. Even if they weren't in a relationship, he wouldn't have left Jethro's side if he was in limbo like that for any other reason than to catch the jackasses that caused it.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

"I don't know. He doesn't have any family outside of the bureau. I'll let you know when the funeral arrangements are."

"Let me know if I can help in anyway. I'll do whatever I can."

"Thanks. Tell Jethro I'd come drink all his bourbon tonight, but I can't drive to his house with this damn cast, and I know there's no vacancy at the inn. The two of you can expect me Friday night though. Tell him I'll expect the good stuff, not the cheap shit."

Tony nodded to himself in the basement. "Three jars and a bottle of the good stuff. Got it."

"Two bottles."

"Will do." With that, they disconnected the call. Ten minutes later, the basement door creaked open, and Tony didn't need to look to know whose footsteps he heard coming down the steps.

"You've got everyone worried about you," Jethro said quietly as he leaned against the workbench next to Tony.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but this is where I've always gone when…" Tony trailed off as he shook his head slightly, staring off into space with his arms crossed. Jethro leaned over and kissed Tony on the head, and Tony closed his eyes, sighing heavily when Jethro's arm came around him and pulled him towards him into an embrace.

"I know."

Tony nodded, and let his hands slip around Jethro's waist. "I know you do. Always have, always will."

Jethro nodded in agreement as Tony rested his head on his shoulder.

"So what happened?" Jethro asked quietly.

"Malcom died."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"Do you want to stay down here a while?" he asked softly. "I can make sure everyone leaves you alone."

"No," Tony said standing up straight, though not letting go of Jethro. "I'll come back up. Otherwise, Abby will guilt everyone into leaving, and then try to corner me herself." Jethro nodded, and brushed a bit of hair out of Tony's forehead with a little smile.

"I love you, Tony."

Tony looked into Jethro's light blue eyes, suddenly heavy with sadness and concern, and Tony felt the fear he had felt the night of the shooting all over again. He had the responsibility to keep his team safe and protected, and he had to keep himself protected so that Jethro wouldn't lose yet another person he cared so much about.

"I love you, too, Jethro," he whispered, unable to find his full voice as his eyes began to burn. Jethro's arms tightened around him, pulling him close in a fiercely protective embrace. Tony hugged him back just as tightly. They stood like that for a long time until finally Tony's eyes weren't burning anymore, and they pulled away, both feeling kind of shaky and clingy. Jethro took Tony's hand in his. He looked at the band that was over Tony's finger, and brought it to his lips.

"I want forever to be a long time," he said quietly.

"Me, too." Tony swallowed hard. "We can do this, right? We can have a nice long forever and both still do the job we love, right?"

"There are never any guarantees, Tony. We could both retire as soon as you can take early retirement, and we could die in a car wreck or house fire the next day. Or we can both do this job until they kick us out and never get shot again. I guess if there's one thing I've learned, it's that tomorrow is never promised. Today is what we've got, and we need to make sure that we're not doing a half-ass job of living. I've spent enough of my life doing that, and I'm going to make sure every day from here on out is as full of the good as possible."

Tony gave Jethro the faintest smile, and that encouraged him to continue.

"I am going to love you every second, of every day, and in the morning, or sometimes in the middle of the night, we're going to get up, and go into a job that we both love together. We'll worry, and we'll try not to be a pain in the ass about it, but at the end of the day, we'll be happy damn it, because we deserve to be happy."

Tony leaned in and kissed Jethro's lips softly. "And _that_ is why I want to marry you."

Jethro smiled back at Tony, then tossed his head towards the steps. Tony nodded, but he wouldn't let go of Jethro's hand. It made Jethro roll his eyes, but he smiled broadly just the same.

"What?" Tony asked. "I'm happier holding your hand."

Gibbs stopped on the steps, and kissed Tony again. "Me, too," he said quietly when they pulled away.

They stopped at the top of the stairs, and Tony looked at the door.

"I have to tell my team. Neither of them had ever been in a raid like that, and neither has ever lost someone this close to a case. I know Abby and Tim where just playing around, but they really are like kids that way."

"They can handle it."

Tony looked up at Jethro, meeting his eyes.

"You can handle it too, Tony. I'm right there with you, and so is everybody in that room. Our whole family is out there. If there is anywhere you want to break bad news, it's with the entire family present. There's no shortage of love and support there to back you up, and your men." Jethro squeezed Tony's hand, and it gave Tony the strength he needed. He took a deep breath, and they walked back into the kitchen and through the dining room to stand in the archway, hands still clutched.

Everyone stopped what they were doing to look up at them. Tony cleared his throat.

"That was Fornell." His eyes met Parke's, then Shane's, then Elly's. "FBI Agent Malcom was taken out of his coma this morning, and he didn't make it."

The room was silent, heads falling all around. Even Dion and Breena, who had no idea who they were talking about, had that sudden horrible feeling that one of their own had fallen.

Tim finally cleared his throat. "You know, if you guys wanted to head over there, I'm sure we could take the rest of your call tonight." Jethro and Ziva both nodded emphatically.

"The FBI is claiming his body. He's… the bureau _was_ Malcom's family." Tony looked around at the group of people, and he felt his eyes burning again. "Just like you guys are mine." Tony swallowed hard, and Jethro squeezed his hand again. "I don't know how often I'm ever going to get you all in the same place, but while you're here, I think I just need to say that you guys mean more to me than you'll ever know. You have been so awesome and supportive. We Italians are supposed to grow up with a deep sense of family pride and love, but you all know mine didn't give me that. You have though. I'm proud to call you la mia famiglia, and I'm grateful for the love you've shared."

"We love you, too, Tony," Abby said, and Tony saw the tears streaming down her face. She suddenly lost all of the childlike innocence she normally exuded, and for the first time ever, as their eyes met across the room, he saw her as the adult sharing his shoes. They'd been through a hell of a lot together, and he knew that Abby was still trying to accept all of the changes to their family and herself, but he knew as she said the words, she meant them, and they weren't just a child's innocent offering to make him feel better. He nodded at her, and without looking away, she reached down and made direct contact with Tim's hand, taking it tightly, letting a shuddering sob exhale silently from her. He nodded at her again, and she nodded back.

He turned to Jethro. "If you guys could take the rest of the night, that would be nice. I think my guys and I need to go drink to Malcom on the back deck for a while." Jethro nodded and leaned in to kiss Tony on the forehead. Tony finally let go of his hand, and gestured towards the back door. "Come on guys."

Tony grabbed a bunch of glasses from the cabinet and grabbed the bottle of scotch.. He led the group out onto the deck, and closed the door behind him. He handed a glass to Elly, one to Greg, one to Dorney, and one to Shane. He poured them each a drink half-full, and they stood silently in a huddle. Elly's voice was the one that finally broke the silence.

"Tony told me the other night in the waiting room that a team protects one another. He also told me that in this line of work, not all of the cases we close will have a nice warm fuzzy feeling, but that it doesn't make them any less important. I've always wanted to feel like I was a part of something… something important, something that was worthwhile, something that meant enough that I would risk my life for it. I have been doubting my decision to leave the safe back rooms of the finance division to come to NCIS as an agent for months- until a few weeks ago. Now, I know that there is nothing I'd rather do, no place I'd rather be, and no one I'd rather be doing it with. Malcom's family was the bureau? Well, mine is right here. I make the _choice_ to do this, as dangerous as it is, because it means something to me- means everything to me." His eyes met Tony's. "You told me that this job has risks, and that if it means enough to you, you take them, otherwise, you shouldn't be doing it. It obviously meant enough to Malcom, and it means enough to me. So this one, is for all of those that have given their lives because it meant enough to them."

"Amen," Shane said quietly as they all tapped their glasses together and knocked them back. As Tony's head tilted back, his eyes caught how clear the cool spring sky was, and how bright the stars seemed to be.

"Wow," he whispered, still staring. The rest of the group looked up too, and they stood in silence, lost in their thoughts.

* * *

Jethro stood in the kitchen with a cup of coffee on standby as he started cleaning things up. The rest of the group was starting to talk again in the other room, though much more subdued than before. He felt all sorts of emotions welling up inside of him that he kept forcing back down. One minute he wanted to go hide in the basement and find something to work on to get his mind off of things, and the next, he wanted to be out on the porch with Tony and his team, and then the next, he wanted everyone gone so he could be alone with Tony, curled up in bed, hiding way from the world safely. There was another part of him though that kept listening to the conversations in the next room. Tony had said it well- these people were his family, and they were _both_ very lucky to have them in their lives.

He put a lot of stuff away, but eventually he shook his head, growled quietly, and picked up his mug of coffee as he headed towards the living room. He sat back down, though this time in the seat between Abby and Ducky, and sighed heavily as he accepted that he needed to be around them. He understood where Abby was coming from. He wasn't used to needing people like this either, and though he was grateful for them and loved them dearly, he was fighting it internally.

Abby leaned over and linked her arm through his, laying her head on his shoulder. He turned his head with a smile, and kissed her forehead. He sat with the group, laughing quietly as they told stories and kept reassuring Tiffany that her husband would be okay outside with his team. She and Breena ended up talking quietly together while the rest of the group went on, and Jethro found himself eavesdropping a bit as Breena explained how she got through long nights when Palmer was called in. He winced the slightest bit when he heard Tiffany talk about how hard it was going to be with Parke's hours and her travelling a lot for work. That was a really hard combination on a marriage, and he knew it well from both sides. They'd have to be really committed to making it work.

At about 2030, Ducky was the first one to bow out gracefully. He was able to see the signs of exhaustion on Jethro that no one else saw with his trained eye and years of friendship, and he decided he would initiate the procession. The group took the hint, and soon, Ziva and Dion were leaving, and Breena and Palmer were as well. Breena gave Tiffany her number in case she needed to chat, and Tiffany seemed honestly thankful to have someone in her corner. That made Jethro smile a little to himself as he showed them to the door.

Abby and Tim began cleaning up the dining room and soon, Abby, Tim, Tiffany, Jack, and Jethro had the whole place cleaned up. Jack said good night to everyone and told them he was turning in early. Jethro knew that Jack was just trying to give them space without appearing to be rude, and he appreciated it. Abby and Tim said their goodbyes finally. Jethro walked them to the door, leaving Tiffany pouring herself some coffee. Once they were past the threshold, Jethro stepped out with them and closed the door behind him.

"Good call tonight, Tim."

Tim turned around in surprise as he looked at Jethro. He nodded with a small smile. "Let's hope it doesn't come back to bite us," he said.

"Ah, nothing we can't handle," Jethro said with a shrug and a kind smile. He wasn't necessarily looking forward to being called out, but the fact that Tony and his team was still out on the deck drinking just went to show how much they needed it.

Abby leaned in, and kissed Jethro's cheek. "Night Gibbs."

"Night kids." Both Tim and Abby smiled at his affection, and they clasped hands as they headed to the car. Jethro watched them until they got in and pulled away. He went back into the house to find Tiffany staring out the back window up at the sky with the coffee in her hands and an anxious expression on her face.

"Let's go see how they are," he said with a small smile. She smiled back with relief, and Jethro cracked the door, sticking his head out. He tried not to laugh as he saw all of them lying out in the back yard, looking up at the stars. Tiffany covered her mouth when she saw it too, and together, they went to join their men.

Jethro laid down next to Tony in the grass. Tony turned his head and smiled at him, reaching to take his hand silently. Tiffany couldn't see them in the dark, but she had done the same thing next to Parke. They all laid in one big circle quietly as they stared up at the sky and processed their past few weeks.

Twenty minutes or so later, there was suddenly a low, loud noise from someone in the circle, and they realized that Dorney had fallen asleep. His snore made them all start chuckling quietly, but within a few seconds, they were all a chortling mess of laughter. Tony rolled over, and laid his head on Jethro's chest as he laughed so hard that he finally shed the tears he'd been holding back all night. After a few minutes, Shane reached out and shook the sleeping man.

"Dude. Dorney. Dorney!"

Dorneget sat upright in a startled panic, which induced another fit of laughter.

"Oh, sorry. Guess I fell asleep. I was having the _weirdest_ dream. You know that part in the Lion King, where he looks up at the sky, and he sees the outline of his dad in the stars, then the monkey hits him with a stick? I kept imaging Tony hitting me with the stick over, and over, and over again."

Jethro had never seen the movie so he was lost, but Tony was laughing again, and that was good enough for him.

"Wait, was I hitting you in the _back_ of the head, or just going at it in any direction?"

"Hey!" Jethro said. "I've never hit you with a _stick!_ I almost always use my hand. If anything, it's a folder or something."

"Yeah, you wouldn't have gotten away with a stick."

"I'm going to keep my thoughts to myself on that one," Dorneget mumbled through a dozy yawn, but everyone heard and laughed anyway.

"Wow! Newbie has some balls!" Parke joked.

"Hmm?" Dorney said, looking at him funny until he realized he'd just said that aloud. He clasped his hand over his mouth. "Oh, shit. That came out, didn't it?" The laughter started all over again, and Shane, who was a surprisingly lightweight drunk, ended up in such a fit of giggles he couldn't breathe, which of course meant everyone else started laughing again. Tiffany finally stood up, and dusted herself off.

"I think it's time I got my guys home. You okay to drive Dorney, or do you need a ride?" she asked.

"He's closer to me. I'll take him," Elly said, getting to his feet and helping Dorney up. After their first drink, Elly had only sipped on a second, unlike the rest of them which had taken another two or three back each. Tony was definitely feeling warm and fuzzy as he continued lying on Jethro's chest in the grass.

"Thanks for coming guys," he said loudly while making no attempt to get up.

Tiffany shouted her thanks as Parke and Shane made their way to the door with an arm around each other's shoulders for support. Dorney and Elly said their goodnights as well, and slowly made their way to the house, stretching out the kinks from lying on the cool ground.

As they were coming in the back door, the rest of the group was going out the front. Elly poured a half cup of coffee, dumped some cream and sugar into it, and then chugged it down. Dorney was looking out the back door at Tony and Jethro.

"I'd like to have that someday," Dorney said with a smile. Elly came to stand behind him with his coffee as he looked out at them, a smile coming to his own face at the sight. "They're so cute together," Dorney cooed. Elly chuckled as he suddenly realized that Dorney wasn't straight either. He shrugged, took another deep drink of his coffee, and then pulled Dorney way from the back door.

"Time to go home, and leave the lovebirds alone," he said with a smile. Dorney nodded, and followed Elly out to his car.

Jethro loved the feeling of Tony sleeping on his chest, and the cool Earth beneath them. He looked up at the sky and felt mesmerized by what he was feeling and seeing. The sensations of the warm breath on his chest, feeling that connection with the life in his arms, the life in the world around him as the light breeze blew across them, and the heavens above him shining down on them, made him feel invincibly happy. They stayed like that a long time until he realized it was after midnight.

He slowly woke Tony up by running his fingers through his hair, then rubbed his back slowly. Tony woke and propped his chin on Jethro's chest to look into his eyes. They smiled at one another, and Jethro whispered, "Let's get inside." Tony simply nodded and got up, stretching. Jethro watched, taking in the view, and then Tony looked back with a shy smile and a shake of his head. He reached a hand out to Jethro, and Jethro took it. Once they were both on their feet, they headed hand in hand into the house, and up to their room, turning lights off as they went.

Behind closed doors, Tony looked at Jethro. "That thing you said you were going to do to me earlier? Can I raincheck that for tomorrow night?"

"Definitely, I'm exhausted," Jethro said as he yawned through the shirt he was stripping off.

"Thank, God!" Tony groaned and pulled his own clothes off. They crawled into bed, assumed the position they were in on the lawn, and settled in to go to sleep.

Tony couldn't sleep though. Long after Jethro's breathing had evened out, his head was still swimming with all of the things that had happened to lead up to the point of Malcom's death, and about how his team was involved. He re-thought every single detail, and tried to figure out what they could have missed. He asked himself if there was something they should have done differently, some action they could have taken to prevent such a dramatic ending, but he couldn't think of anything.

He felt the heartbeat of the man beneath his ear, and he thought about what Jethro had said to him in the basement. They had a long future together, and the words "'til death do us part" echoed through him over and over again. He imagined the worst case scenario for both of them.

For him, he saw Vance coming down the stairs slowly, their eyes locking as he interrupted a discussion he was having with his team about what their weekend plans were. He'd be more like the "second cousin" he'd become than the Director, and the words that Tony imagined coming out of his mouth caused tears to slide down his face in both the vision and reality.

They only fell harder as he imagine Jethro getting the call in the middle of the night that there was a problem on the case, and that he had ended up in the hospital again. The vision changed to Jethro getting the news from Ducky in the hallway and breaking down.

He then tried to imagine the happy ending. Them spending time sailing a boat they'd make together up and down the coast, stopping here and there as they went for a few days on the beach. He imagined their wedding, their entire family present and a few people they hadn't told but they hoped would be happy for them. He dreamed of being twenty years older and sitting with Jethro on the sofa, hand in hand, feet propped up on the table, a fire in the fireplace, and It's A Wonderful Life playing in front of them on Christmas Eve.

After looking at the clock for the tenth time in three minutes, he carefully got up, threw his sweats and hoodie on, and snuck out of the room. He didn't realize where he was going until his bare feet took him to the kitchen for the scotch. He held up the bottle and nodded once.

"Basement," he said quietly to himself.

He carefully creaked down the stairs, making sure not to step on anything sharp. He looked around, breathing in the perma-scent of sawdust, and then grabbed one of the empty jars on the table. He blew the dust out of the bottom, filled it halfway with the golden liquor, and settled down to think.

Half an hour later, footsteps began creaking down the steps. He looked up to see Jack coming down to join him.

"I'm used to finding Leroy sitting down here, drinking all alone, brooding. Don't tell me he's worn off on you." He came and sat down at the worktable, and Tony's feet moved from the tabletop where they were propped, to the sawhorse next to it. He saw the half-empty bottle of scotch and smiled. "Ah, at least you're drinking better swill. Got another jar for your future father-in-law?"

Tony smiled, and blew the dust out of the empty jar sitting nearby that Jethro usually drank out of.

"I don't really know when it became normal for me to seek solace down here, but it was never because of the, uh, jars," he said, pouring Jack a jar of scotch. "Somewhere along the way though, this became my thinking spot. I'd come over, sometimes with beer, sometimes grab a jar, and just sit on the steps and watch Jethro work. Over the years, some days were so rough that I'd come over and find the bourbon already poured." Tony smirked as he looked at the lighter colored liquor in his glass, and he took a sip.

"I've always known that you cared a great deal about my son, but I had no idea it would come to this. Took me by surprise, to say the least. Honestly, I'm kinda surprised that the old ticker held out through that one." Jack chuckled lightly, and Tony joined in with a smile.

"Here's to your ticker," Tony said, raising his glass. Jack raised his back, and they both drank to the toast.

"I haven't seen him this happy in twenty, maybe twenty-five years, and even then, we didn't speak much. I saw him and the girls at Christmas each year that he was home, but that wasn't enough to really get a feel for what he was like. Not to mention, we spent most of the time bickering and carrying on, wasting precious time. A couple 'a goddamned fools." He took a drink of his jar, downing half of it.

Tony looked across the table at him for a moment, curious eyes trying to read the older man.

"Are you really okay with this?" he asked frankly.

"Aww hell, son. If it would've been anybody else I wouldn't've understood, but it just makes a lot of sense knowing the history the two of you have. He talks about you on the phone when he updates me on how things are going. You and Abby, sometimes Ducky. I make sure to ask about the rest of you kids, but he's always had a soft spot for you. Don't tell him I said that though."

Tony chuckled. "I already know he's got a soft spot for me. That's okay though, I've got a serious soft spot for him."

Jack chuckled. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, I've always felt like I was just bouncing through life, not able to settle anywhere, walking on hot coals almost. He makes me feel grounded in all the best ways. He lets me be a big goofball and loves me for it, but he also brings out the best in me. He has made me such a better agent, a better investigator, a better friend…" Tony started feeling his serious side even more strongly as he talked. "He's made me a better man all the way around." He looked back up at Jack. "I honestly don't know where I'd be if I hadn't tackled him to the ground, and arrested him twelve years ago. If my partner on the force hadn't been a dirty cop, if someone else had been assigned the case instead of Jethro… there are so many things that came together to put us in that moment, and so many more that have led to where we are now…" Tony shook his head, and finished his scotch.

"It's funny how that works out. Everything fell into place to get the two of you to this point, and I have to say, I'm glad you both stepped up to the plate and took fate up on its offer. From what I've seen, and from what I'm hearing, it took you two a while, but maybe that was part of the plan all along."

Tony smirked as he thought about Kathy and his team. "Definitely, without a doubt. I think I'm going to head back up to bed. Got a long day tomorrow. Thanks for the chat."

"Thanks for the drink. Sleep well."

"You, too."

Tony slipped into the bedroom, out of his clothes and into bed. As soon as he was back under the covers, Jethro wrapped himself around him in his sleep, and Tony smiled. It wasn't long before he finally slept as well.

* * *

The next couple of days were a blur. Both Tony and Jethro's teams caught cases right off the bat Monday morning. Tony started "handling", as he had dubbed it, Dorneget's fine-tuning and training before they had even left the building, mainly because of his overexcitement to be going out on a real case.

Both teams worked well into the night, came back in the next morning, and did it again. Tony got the call from Fornell about the funeral arrangements being for Wednesday afternoon, and his entire team and Shane went. Jackson had stayed with them a few extra days just so that Shane could go, and when he left for home that evening, Shane would be going with him. Tony couldn't help but think that Shane looked a bit older now, and he realized that Parke and Elly did too.

He had stopped to talk to Fornell after the funeral about the case, and saw that Elly was talking with Galto again. He saw them shake hands, and he wondering if Elly would make a good liason of sorts, if he decided he wanted to go that route.

Tony had driven separately from the rest of the guys because he had to make a stop to pick up some paperwork for the case they had just tied up. He was exhausted inside and out. As he turned to leave, he pulled out his phone and dialed Jethro.

"Hey," Jethro said softly as he got up from his desk, turning off the lamp.

"Hey," Tony said back, walking alone to where his car was parked on the other side of the cemetery from everyone else.

"How was it?"

"How is any funeral?" he said with an anxious chuckle, desperate to be out from amongst the headstones.

"Yeah."

Tony sighed. "I love you, Jethro."

"Love you, too." There was a long silence as Jethro waited for the elevator doors to close. "Hey, Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think about Labor Day weekend?" Jethro asked nervously.

"For what?" Tony asked, a bit confused.

"The wedding."

A huge smile suddenly split Tony's face in two. "Really?" he asked happily.

"Yeah, really. I don't want to wait much longer." Jethro hesitated just a moment. "Life's too short."

Tony swallowed hard, trying to fight back the sudden tears that stung his eyes, and failed. He wiped them away, and took a deep breath.

"I think that sounds perfect," he said with a sniffle.

"Are you crying?" Jethro asked.

"Nope!"

"Liar," Jethro said with a slight chuckle.

"Yup!" Tony said with a laugh, causing Jethro to laugh outright on the other end of the line. Tony loved the way the sound of his fiance's laughter echoed through him, lighting him up as it bounced around inside.

"Hey," Jethro said, the tone changing in his voice to something that caused Tony's loins to stir.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Wanna cash in that raincheck tonight?"

Tony groaned. "Yes! Not just yes, but hell yes!"

Jethro laughed again, and Tony chuckled.

"Good, see you tonight. I'm going home to see Dad off."

"Okay. Love you, Jethro."

"Love you, Tony."

Once Tony was in the car, he took a few minutes to breathe. His phone chimed, and he looked down at it to find a picture text from Abby. He opened the file to find that she had actually sent him five pictures from St. Paddy's day at the bar. The text that accompanied them read:

_I was so wasted that night that I don't even remember taking these with my phone, but I found them today and thought I'd share them!_

There was a picture of the group together as they recovered from their tequila shots, and then of her and Tim squished together making goofy faces at the camera, and a candid shot of Ziva and Dion laughing together. The fourth picture took him off guard though. He had leaned forward to listen to something that Ziva had said, then laughed, looking up at Jethro who chuckled as well, but in the picture, they both looked incredibly happy, Tony leaning towards Jethro, and both of their eyes shining as they looked at one another. Tony wasn't aware that Abby had been taking photos, but he and Jethro had both had a lot to drink that night, and the place was packed. He probably completely ignored the flashes. The fifth photo was of Jethro, watching something with a mesmerized and happy look on his face.

Tony smiled as he stared at his phone, then set the photo of the two of them together as his background. He got into his contact list, and set Jethro's picture as his icon for when he called. He then set the picture of Abby and Tim as the icon for both of their phone numbers, and set Ziva's as the picture of her and Dion.

That night did a lot for all of them. He wondered if anyone else realized that, and decided that his new St. Paddy's day tradition would be to get the team together with their loved ones at the bar and drink, laugh, and spend some serious time together. He turned over the key in the ignition, and headed home as he dreamed of everyone being in a bar ten years down the road, laughing together happily, still loving their jobs, and closer than ever.

 _That's the way life should be spent,_ Tony thought. _With people who know who you really are, and love you for it._


End file.
